Age-related changes in production of interleukin-7 (IL-7) by murine long-term bone marrow cultures (LTBMC).
Age-related decreases in humoral immune function have been well documented. In aged mice, these functional deficits may be due, in part, to decreased numbers of precursor B cells. Interleukin-7 (IL-7) plays a key role in B cell development by stimulating proliferation of progenitor and pre-B cells. In the current study, proliferation of the murine IL-7-dependent pre-B cell line SCID/FC-7 (SCID) was used to assess IL-7 activity in long-term bone marrow culture-conditioned medium (LTBMC-CM) from both young (4-8-week-old) and older (16-40-week-old) mice. Time to reach peak production and peak IL-7 levels were similar in both groups and was optimal between weeks 2 and 6 of culture. IL-7 activity in LTBMC-CM from older mice fell rapidly to negligible levels after 8 weeks in culture. These findings are consistent with age-related changes in stem cell production and B lymphopoiesis in LTBMC reported in other studies.
American Cyanamid Company, Medical Research Division, Pearl River, NY 10965.
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Updyke
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Cocke
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Wierda
D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D001681:Biological Assay; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000276:immunology*; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002460:Cell Line; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D015851:Interleukin-7 / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051379:Mice
D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D015851:Interleukin-7