title: Development of real time PCR assays for the quantification of Fas and FasL mRNA levels in lymphocytes: studies on centenarians.
abstract: Apoptosis plays a central role in the homeostasis of the immune system. During aging, there is an altered regulation of pivotal molecules that are responsible for the regulation of this type of cell death, such as those of the Fas/FasL system. Understanding the regulation of these genes can help to clarify, at least in part, the age-related changes that occur in immune cells. We have developed an original real time PCR assay for quantification of mRNA for Fas and FasL, and have studied a group of young donors, middle aged subjects and centenarians. We have found that the production of Fas mRNA is greatly increased in resting lymphocytes from centenarians; such an increase follows an age-related trend. On the contrary, the production of mRNA for the molecule, which is the natural ligand of Fas, i.e. FasL, is consistently reduced. Our preliminary results suggest that during aging a subtle balance in the production of molecules that cause apoptosis could exist, and that, in order to avoid an excessive death of immune cells, a still unknown mechanism could compensate the increase of Fas with the reduction of FasL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chair of Immunology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, via Campi 287, 41100, Modena, Italy.
authors.forename: Marcello
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pinti
authors.forename: Leonarda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Troiano
authors.forename: Milena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nasi
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Monterastelli
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Moretti
authors.forename: Cristian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bellodi
authors.forename: Annalisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mazzacani
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mussi
authors.forename: Gianfranco
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Salvioli
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cossarizza
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology*; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: C505661:FASLG protein, human; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D019014:fas Receptor