title: Influence of age on polymorphonuclear leukocytes in vitro: phagocytic activity in healthy human subjects.
abstract: Polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) represent an important defensive mechanism against infectious agents. Some of their functions are impaired in old people, with a decreased effectiveness of nonspecific immunity. In vitro PMN phagocytic activity was studied with different techniques on 74 healthy subjects (20-82.5 years; 40 males, 34 females). Serum-mediated ingestion resulted to be impaired with age with a lower ratio of active PMNs and a lower activity of phagocytosing cells. The behavior of these parameters was age-related, without significant difference between males and females; the decline was found to be a continuous phenomenon with no threshold age. Serum-independent ingestion had very low values and was not impaired with aging. The present data can represent a further explanation for the finding of a higher incidence and mortality of bacterial diseases in elderly population.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology*; D001391:Azo Compounds; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000276:immunology*; D009895:Opsonin Proteins; D010587:Phagocytosis; D015054:Zymosan
chemical_list: D001391:Azo Compounds; D009895:Opsonin Proteins; D015054:Zymosan; C011049:oil red O