Altered Th1/Th2 commitment in human CD4+ T cells with ageing.
The human immune system undergoes continuous remodelling with the advancement of age. Since age-associated functional alterations in the immune system could be caused by a possible change in helper T cell regulation in elderly subjects, we comparatively studied the function of CD4+ T cells in peripheral blood obtained from both young and old healthy volunteers. Upon cell activation by phorbol myristate acetate and ionomycin, the proportion of CD4+ T cells containing interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) was found to be greater in the old subjects. Utilizing a co-culture system, which activated CD4+ T cells via the TCR/CD3 complex and CD28, we found that CD4+ T cells from the old subjects secreted more IFN-gamma and IL-2, but less IL-4, than those from the young subjects. Upon cell activation by co-culture, CD4+ T cells from the old subjects expressed more CD26, CD40L, and LFA-1, but less CD30, than those from the young. These results together suggest that the microenvironment in which CD4+ T cells develop in older people may cause production of more cells committed to Th1 than that in younger subjects.
Sakata-Kaneko
S
S
Department of Clinical Bio-regulatory Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
Wakatsuki
Y
Y
Matsunaga
Y
Y
Usui
T
T
Kita
T
T
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology*; D018122:B7-1 Antigen / Q000276:immunology; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000276:immunology; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D023201:CD40 Ligand; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018819:Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007424:Intracellular Fluid / Q000276:immunology; D015759:Ionomycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D017730:Ki-1 Antigen / Q000096:biosynthesis; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis; D016169:Lymphocyte Function-Associated Antigen-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008875:Middle Aged; D008934:Mitogens / Q000494:pharmacology; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*
D018122:B7-1 Antigen; D017252:CD3 Complex; D007376:Interleukin-2; D017730:Ki-1 Antigen; D016169:Lymphocyte Function-Associated Antigen-1; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D008934:Mitogens; D023201:CD40 Ligand; D015847:Interleukin-4; D015759:Ionomycin; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens; D018819:Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate