title: Specific humoral immunity in the elderly: in vivo and in vitro response to vaccination.
abstract: Vaccinations are often unsuccessful in preventing infection among elderly populations because of generally poor humoral immune responses. We have used tetanus toxoid (TT) antigen to stimulate in vitro anti-tetanus toxoid antibody (anti-TT) synthesis and have found that lymphocytes from many healthy elderly individuals have a reduced production of anti-TT in vitro compared to young adults. This is associated with decreased numbers of B cells secreting anti-TT IgG and a decrease in the mean amount of anti-TT IgG produced per TT-specific B cell. In the present study we report that immunization results in a significant increase in serum titers in young adults for up to one year, whereas levels in old adults fall to baseline by 6 months. The number of B cells that secrete anti-TT IgG increases after immunizations in both young and old subjects, although the number in old subjects is significantly lower than in young subjects at all times except 6 months after. The mean amount of anti-TT produced per B cell (B-cell potency) is significantly lower for the old adults both before and at 6 and 12 months after booster. Immunization does not significantly change the mean amount of anti-TT produced per B cell for either age group. The decreased response to immunization with aging is associated with decreased numbers of specific Ab-secreting B cells and usually decreased potency of those B cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine, Milwaukee.
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Burns
authors.forename: L G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Lum
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: L'Hommedieu
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Goodwin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology*; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000921:Antibody-Producing Cells / Q000276:immunology; D002452:Cell Count; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008875:Middle Aged; D013745:Tetanus Toxoid / Q000276:immunology*; D014611:Vaccination
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D013745:Tetanus Toxoid