Cell-mediated effector mechanisms in aging humans.
Specific and nonspecific cell-mediated effector mechanisms have been simultaneously assayed in 15 aged humans. 8 were female and 7 male, including a 114-year-old male in remarkably good health. Proliferative response to alloantigens, the generation of T killer cells and the ability to express cell-mediated lympholysis as well as the presence of natural cell-mediated cytotoxicity against K562 tumor cell line and the capacity to mount an ADCC response to RhD+ human red blood cell sensitized with anti-D antisera, revealed that in the human aged, while T function significantly declines, nonspecific cell-mediated effector mechanisms are operative.
D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D000920:Antibody-Dependent Cell Cytotoxicity; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology