title: TH1 and TH2 cell polarization increases with aging and is modulated by zinc supplementation.
abstract: Elderly subjects suffer from increased levels of activated T cells and a TH1/TH2 imbalance. Zinc deficiency of the aged is correlated with decreased cell-mediated immune responses. The association of age and zinc adjustment with the amounts of TH1 (CCR5+) and TH2 (CCR4+) cell populations in healthy aged old donors enrolled in the European ZINCAGE project was examined. Old and nonagenarian individuals revealed increased TH1, TH2 cell numbers and a decreased TH2/TH1 ratio in comparison to young individuals. The differences between TH2/TH1 ratios of young and old/nonagenarians arose from young females. Adjusted zinc status led to enhanced TH2 and TH1 amounts in fresh whole blood and thawed cells of aged donors whereas increased HLA-DR+ expression and a generally lower CCR5 expression was observed on thawed PBMC. In conclusion, aging is associated with an increase in T helper cell polarization, and changes in TH2/TH1 subsets are more obvious in women than in men. Advanced healthy aging is accompanied by TH cell polarization, too. Moderate zinc supplementation in vivo alters TH proportions. Longer zinc treatment will give more insight into the beneficial effect of zinc on T helper cell modulation.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Immunology, University Hospital, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstr. 30, D-52074, Aachen, Germany.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Uciechowski
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kahmann
authors.forename: Birgit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Plümäkers
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Malavolta
authors.forename: Eugenio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mocchegiani
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dedoussis
authors.forename: Georges
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Herbein
authors.forename: Jolanta
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jajte
authors.forename: Tamas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fulop
authors.forename: Lothar
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rink
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D054398:Receptors, CCR4 / Q000378:metabolism; D054399:Receptors, CCR6 / Q000378:metabolism; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015032:Zinc / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: C515354:CCR4 protein, human; C106311:CCR6 protein, human; D054398:Receptors, CCR4; D054399:Receptors, CCR6; D014131:Trace Elements; D015032:Zinc