title: Age-related changes in intracellular expression of IFN-γ and TNF-α in equine lymphocytes measured in bronchoalveolar lavage and peripheral blood.
abstract: Diseases of the lower airways represent some of the most common conditions affecting horses of all ages, but the type and severity tends to follow the horses' age. The age-related dysregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines may, in part contribute to the development of the diseases. Therefore, we hypothesize that the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines increases with age. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cells from clinically healthy horses of different ages were used for the investigation. The cells were stimulated and the production of IFN-γ and TNF-α measured using flow cytometry. The frequency of IFN-γ producing lymphocytes in both BAL and PBMCs from old horses was significantly increased compared to the young horses. The age-related increase of TNF-α production was also found in PBMCs but not in BAL cells. In conclusion, the productions of certain pro-inflammatory cytokine are age-associated. This age-associated increase of pro-inflammatory cytokines production may be a co-factor for the pathogenesis of equine airway diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Large Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Taastrup, Denmark. sannih@sund.ku.dk
authors.forename: Sanni
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.forename: Lingshuang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Keith E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Baptiste
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fjeldborg
authors.forename: David W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Horohov
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D001773:Blood Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000737:chemistry; D002469:Cell Separation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006736:Horses; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism*; D042541:Intracellular Space / Q000378:metabolism; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D007371:Interferon-gamma