Dehydroepiandrosterone, ageing and immune activation.
The age-related decline in dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) production is currently attracting attention because of its possible relevance to the etiology and management of a number of age-related clinical disorders. Various abnormalities of immune system function have been described in the elderly. Among them, increased concentrations of neopterin have been reported, which is produced by human monocytes/macrophages upon stimulation by interferon-gamma. In order to examine the relation of serum DHEA to serum neopterin, we studied 281 otherwise healthy outpatients, who visited the physician's office for a medical health check-up. 10% presented with increased neopterin concentrations, 0.4% had increased DHEA sulfate (DHEAs) concentrations. DHEAs concentrations were significantly higher in patients with lower neopterin concentrations (Mann-Whitney test: U=4793, P<0.0001). There existed a rather strong inverse correlation between DHEAs concentrations and serum neopterin concentrations (Spearman's rank correlation: r(s)=-0.221, P<0.0001). The data support the concept that the decrease of DHEA with increasing age is related to immune system activation. Oxidative stress which accompanies immune response may diminish DHEA synthesis.
Ledochowski
M
M
Department of Clinical Nutrition, Leopold-Franzens University, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
Murr
C
C
Jäger
M
M
Fuchs
D
D
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019798:Neopterin / Q000097:blood; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D012016:Reference Values
D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D019798:Neopterin