title: Cytokine production in response to stimulation with tetanus toxoid, Mycobacterium tuberculosis and influenza antigens in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and T cell lines from healthy elderlies.
abstract: Little is known about the type 1/type 2 T cell dichotomy in old age. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and T cell lines from old and young healthy individuals were therefore analyzed for their production of interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) and interleukin 4 (IL-4). Tetanus toxoid (TT), purified protein derivative of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, inactivated influenza virus and OKT-3 were used as stimuli. RT-PCR and ELISA determinations were performed. When stimulated with TT, PBMC from young and old individuals expressed IL-4, but produced little IFN-gamma. All other stimuli induced a pronounced IFN-gamma production, while little or no IL-4 was expressed. T cell lines, regardless of their specificity or the donor age, produced IFN-gamma and IL-4. The quantities of cytokines produced did not significantly differ between the age groups. The capacity of the immune system to trigger type 1 and type 2 T cell responses is thus well preserved in old age.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Biomedical Aging Research of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Innsbruck.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Bodnár
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Steger
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saurwein-Teissl
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Maczek
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Grubeck-Loebenstein
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology*; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000494:pharmacology; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000494:pharmacology; D002460:Cell Line; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000276:immunology*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000276:immunology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D013745:Tetanus Toxoid / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D016207:Cytokines; D000939:Epitopes; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D013745:Tetanus Toxoid; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma