title: Interleukin-2 production and activity in aged humans.
abstract: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from aged humans were found impaired in their ability to mount T mitogen induced proliferative responses and NK cell activity. The production of IL-2 in response to PHA has also been found decreased in the aged subjects. When the data from IL-2 production and cellular responsiveness of aged and young groups were pooled for regression analysis, a significant correlation was found both for mitogenic responses and NK activity. The reduced proliferative responses and NK cell activity can be enhanced by exposing them to exogenous IL-2. However, they were not fully reconstituted to the levels achieved in PBMC of the young subjects supplemented in vitro with IL-2. This would indicate that the reduced cellular responsiveness in aging may be related both to a defect of IL-2 receptor expression on T cells of aged subjects and to an impairment in the endogenous IL-2 synthesis in the aged individuals.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D002460:Cell Line; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D007951:Leukemia, Myeloid; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009000:Monocytes / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2