title: Androstenediol-induced restoration of responsiveness to influenza vaccination in mice.
abstract: Androstenediol (AED), a metabolite of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) regulates innate and adaptive immune responses. To examine whether AED could effectively reverse the age-associated decline of antiviral immunity, 3-, 10-, and 22-month-old mice were treated with AED-sulfate (AED-S) for 45 days beginning 10 days prior to vaccination. Subsequently, mice were primed and boosted with suboptimal doses of a commercially-available trivalent influenza vaccine. Treatment of 10-month-old animals with AED-S during vaccination increased the titer of circulating antiviral immunoglobulin G to levels comparable with those in 3-month-old mice. Furthermore, AED-S treatment protected 10-month-old animals from intranasal challenge with a lethal dose of influenza virus 21 days after secondary vaccination. Although AED-S treatment of 22-month-old mice did not enhance vaccine responses and failed to protect against lethal challenge, the data from the 10-month-old animals suggest that treatment with AED-S will prevent the early manifestations of immunosenescence.
authors.affiliation: Section of Oral Biology, Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, Ohio State University, Columbus, USA. padgett.11@osu.edu
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Padgett
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: MacCallum
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Loria
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Sheridan
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology*; D045930:Anabolic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015114:Androstenediol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005856:Germ-Free Life; D007110:Immunity, Active / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D007117:Immunization, Secondary; D007121:Immunocompetence / Q000187:drug effects*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000276:immunology; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014611:Vaccination
chemical_list: D045930:Anabolic Agents; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007252:Influenza Vaccines; D015114:Androstenediol