title: Age-related changes in intracellular cytokine expression in healthy children.
abstract: Cytokine production by human lymphocytes from healthy children (ages 0-18 years) was assessed using a flow cytometric procedure involving staining of intracellular cytokines by the paraformaldehyde-saponin procedure. To establish valid cytokine values for intracellular cytokine expression in healthy children in the different age groups, we measured 117 samples after 24 h in vitro stimulation with PMA, ionomycin and brefeldin followed by staining with intracellular anti-cytokine and surface antibodies. We found decreasing IL-2 expression, increasing IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha production and stable IL-4, Ki67 and TGFb levels with advancing age. The cytokines were mainly produced by memory T-cells. Apart from age, there was a differential expression in boys and girls: boys (< 6 years) produce significantly more IL-2 (p < 0,04), while girls > 12 years produce more IFNg than boys of the same age (p < 0.05). This systematic analysis of cytokine profiles during childhood allows a better understanding of immune maturation and will contribute significantly to the interpretation of cytokine data from children with pathological conditions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation program, University Children's Hospital Wuerzburg, Germany. Wiegering_V@klinik.uni-wuerzburg.de
authors.forename: Verena
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Wiegering
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eyrich
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wunder
authors.forename: Helga
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Günther
authors.forename: Paul G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Schlegel
authors.forename: Beate
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Winkler
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000166:cytology; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System / Q000254:growth & development*; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines