Decreased cell proliferation and altered cytokine production in frail older adults.
OBJECTIVE
Frailty is a geriatric syndrome that predicts increased morbidity and mortality. In order to investigate specific immune system modulations that may contribute to frailty, eleven age- and sex-matched pairs of community-dwelling frail and non-frail older adults were identified.


METHODS
Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were isolated and PBMC proliferation and production of IL-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, and IL-10 in the presence and absence of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were examined.


RESULTS
We found that frail subjects had a significantly lower LPS-induced PBMC proliferation ratio compared with non-frail subjects (2.1+/-0.9 vs 3.11+/-1.9, p<0.03). In addition, frail subjects had higher IL-6 production by PBMC at 48 hours after LPS stimulation (35678+/-15637 vs 25178+/-6342 pg/mL, p<0.03). No significant differences were observed in TNF-alpha, and IL-10 production between groups.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that, compared with non-frail controls, frail older adults have both decreased LPS-induced proliferation and increased IL-6 production by PBMC.
Division of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA.
Sean X
SX
Leng
Huanle
H
Yang
Jeremy D
JD
Walston
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D016330:Frail Elderly; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000378:metabolism; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
D015850:Interleukin-6; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016753:Interleukin-10