title: Effects of interleukin-4 on antigen-specific antibody synthesis by lymphocytes from old and young adults.
abstract: The current series of experiments were designed to explore the role of the B cell growth factor, interleukin-4 (IL-4), in the age-related decrease in production of antitetanus toxoid antibody in vitro. Exogenous recombinant IL-4 led to significant suppression of antitetanus toxoid antibody synthesis and numbers of antitetanus toxoid antibody-secreting B cells in cultures from healthy old subjects and healthy young subjects. These effects were most pronounced when IL-4 was present during the early phase of culture. Lymphocytes from old subjects were less sensitive to these effects and produced significantly less IL-4 than did lymphocytes from young controls. The addition of exogenous IL-4 may be inhibiting early activation signals that normally stimulate proliferation of B cells. A decreased sensitivity to the growth-promoting effects of IL-4 may be one of the mechanisms underlying defective specific antibody synthesis in aging.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine, Milwaukee.
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Burns
authors.forename: G D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: L'Hommedieu
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Cunning
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Goodwin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology*; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000187:drug effects; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D013745:Tetanus Toxoid / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013745:Tetanus Toxoid; D015847:Interleukin-4