title: Aging reduces the functionality of anti-pneumococcal antibodies and the killing of Streptococcus pneumoniae by neutrophil phagocytosis.
abstract: We evaluated the effect of aging on the functional activity of naturally acquired anti-pneumococcal antibodies, the function of neutrophils in phagocytic killing of opsonized pneumococci, and the complement activity. Opsonic activities of antibodies to all tested pneumococcal serotypes were significantly lower and phagocytic killing of pneumococci by neutrophils was significantly impaired among the elderly, whereas the complement activity was slightly higher in the elderly than in the young adults. The reduced functional activity of serotype-specific antibodies and the compromised function of neutrophils in the opsonophagocytosis of pneumococci are likely to contribute to the increased susceptibility of the elderly to pneumococcal diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Vaccination and Immune Protection, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Mannerheimintie 166, 00300 Helsinki, Finland. birgit.simell@thl.fi
authors.forename: Birgit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Simell
authors.forename: Arja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vuorela
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ekström
authors.forename: Arto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Palmu
authors.forename: Antti
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Reunanen
authors.forename: Seppo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Meri
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Käyhty
authors.forename: Merja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Väkeväinen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D001770:Blood Bactericidal Activity; D003165:Complement System Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000276:immunology*; D009895:Opsonin Proteins / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D010587:Phagocytosis; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000276:immunology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D009895:Opsonin Proteins; D003165:Complement System Proteins