title: In vivo dehydroepiandrosterone restores age-associated defects in the protein kinase C signal transduction pathway and related functional responses.
abstract: Elderly subjects are at increased risk of pneumonia, influenza, and tuberculosis. Besides the known age-related decrease in mechanisms for mechanical clearance of the lungs, impaired alveolar macrophage function contributes to the increased risk of illness in the elderly. We have previously shown that age-induced macrophage immunodeficiencies are associated with a defective system for anchoring protein kinase C. Castration of young male rats produces effects on alveolar macrophages similar to those of aging, suggesting a relationship between circulating sex hormones, particularly androgens, and the decreases in the receptor for activated C kinase (RACK-1) and macrophage function observed. The aging process in humans and rats is associated with a decline in the plasma concentrations of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and its sulfate, among other steroid hormones. We report here that in vitro and in vivo administration of DHEA to rats restores the age-decreased level of RACK-1 and the LPS-stimulated production of TNF-alpha in alveolar macrophages. DHEA in vivo also restores age-decreased spleen mitogenic responses and the level of RACK-1 expression. These findings suggest that the age-related loss in immunological responses, linked to defective pathways of signal transduction, are partially under hormonal control and can be restored by appropriate replacement therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacological Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy. emanuela.corsini@unimi.it
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Corsini
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lucchi
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Meroni
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Racchi
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Solerte
authors.forename: Marisa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fioravanti
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Viviani
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marinovich
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Govoni
authors.forename: Corrado L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Galli
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate / Q000494:pharmacology; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D016676:Macrophages, Alveolar / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D009919:Orchiectomy; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D000075370:Receptors for Activated C Kinase; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D000075370:Receptors for Activated C Kinase; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D011493:Protein Kinase C