Is ageing associated with a shift in the balance between Type 1 and Type 2 cytokines in humans?
The balance between Type 1 and Type 2 cytokines is important for the outcome of several infectious diseases. As elderly humans show increased morbidity and mortality from infectious diseases, this study tests if ageing is associated with a change towards Type 2 dominance in T cells. Expression of IFN-gamma, and IL-4 was measured in CD4+ and CD8+ T cells by flow cytometry in three groups: young controls (n=28), 81-year-olds (n=22), and centenarians (n=25). The major findings were that the percentage of IFN-gamma+ as well as IL-4+ T cells was increased in aged subjects. Furthermore, after adjusting for decreased lymphocyte counts in the elderly, the concentration in the blood of IFN-gamma+ and IL-4+ CD8+ T cells was still increased in the 81-year-olds. In centenarians, a shift towards a relative dominance of Type 2 cytokine expression was found within CD8+ T cells. Furthermore, the percentage of T cells with cytokine expression was closely correlated to the in vivo expression of CD95 and CD45RO. In conclusion, we found some evidence for an age-related shift towards a Type 2 cytokine profile.
Sandmand
M
M
The Department of Infectious Diseases, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
Bruunsgaard
H
H
Kemp
K
K
Andersen-Ranberg
K
K
Pedersen
A N
AN
Skinhøj
P
P
Pedersen
B K
BK
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology*; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000276:immunology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology*
D015703:Antigens, CD; D016207:Cytokines