[Effect of trypsinization on functional recovery of blast transformation of lymphocytes in adults and the aged].
BACKGROUND
During the physiological ageing, function of individual factors of the immune system tend to decline. The aim of our study was to compare the ability of lymphocytes to respond to polyclonal mitogens and to the stimulation by antibodies anti-CD2/CD2R after an previous trypsinization.


METHODS
17 adult (28 to 54-year-old) and 32 aged persons (63 to 90-year-old) were investigated. Lymphocytes were isolated from the peripheral blood, trypsinizated and subsequently incubated with polyklonic mitogens--phytohemaglutinin (PHA), concavalin (Con A), and a monoklonic antibody MoPr) anti-CD2/CD2R. The speed of recovery of the blastic transformation of trypsinizated lymphocytes was compared among the adult and aged persons.


RESULTS
The stimulation values were in all studied time intervals significantly lower in aged persons then in adult ones (p < 0.001). In the group of aged persons, when the trypsinizated lymphocytes were stimulated by MoPr anti-CD2/CD2R, their ability of blastic transformation has not recovered to previous values.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results indicate that function of T-lymphocytes diminishes in advanced age, however, lymphocytes still keep the ability to respond to specific stimulus. We found that the recovery of the blastic transformation of lymphocytes after a trypsinization requires in aged persons more than 20 hours. It probably corresponds with widespread decline of biological activities during ageing.
Výskumný ústav reumatických chorôb, Piest'any Imunologický ústav LF UK, Bratislava.
J
J
Rovenský
M
M
Buc
A
A
Tuchynová
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008875:Middle Aged; D014357:Trypsin / Q000494:pharmacology
D014357:Trypsin