Effect of age on cytokine response in an experimental model of osteomyelitis.
To study the effect of age on cytokine response in an experimental model of osteomyelitis. Forty adult male Wistar rats received a stainless steel needle, intramedullarly in the left tibia. Young rats (3 months old) and old rats (22 months old) were allotted in: Group A: Sterile implant. Group B: Sterile implant + slime producing S. aureus. Rats were sacrificed 9 weeks after surgery. Determinations: Cytokines (ELISA) in blood and in tibia extract and the number of bacteria in tibia and implant. The Wilcoxon, Mann-Whitney U tests were used (P < or = 0.01 significant). Infection was detected in every old rat receiving S. aureus, and in 7 of 10 young rats. In blood: prior to surgery, old rats presented higher IL-2 and lower IL-4 levels. Surgery alone did not induce significant changes in old rats; surgery + S. aureus induced significant increases of IL-2 and IL-10 in young rats, and of IL-6 in old rats. Tibia analysis S. aureus group showed increased levels of: IL-10 in young rats, and IL-1beta in old rats. In experimentally induced osteomyelitis, significant differences were observed in cytokine response with regard to age.
García-Alvarez
Felícito
F
Department of Surgery, University of Zaragoza, Spain. fegarcia@comz.org
Navarro-Zorraquino
Marta
M
Castro
Angel
A
Grasa
José María
JM
Pastor
Cristina
C
Monzón
Marta
M
Martínez
Ana
A
García-Alvarez
Ignacio
I
Castillo
Javier
J
Lozano
Ricardo
R
D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D020007:Implants, Experimental / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D010019:Osteomyelitis / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000276:immunology
D016207:Cytokines