Age-related effects in T cell activation and proliferation

Age-associated thymic involution manifests its effects in a variety of ways that are related to a loss of T cell function. These include the appearance of a non-functional subset of T cells that increase in representation with age. Moreover there is a loss of T cell proliferative ability, a decline...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Experimental gerontology 1993-07, Vol.28 (4), p.313-321
Main Authors: Song, Lijun, Kim, Young Ho, Chopra, Rajesh K., Proust, Jacques J., Nagel, James E., Nordin, Albert A., Adler, William H.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Aged
aging
Aging - immunology
Animals
gene expression
Humans
interleukin-2
Interleukin-2 - biosynthesis
Longitudinal Studies
Lymphocyte Activation - physiology
lymphocyte transformation
messenger RNA
Mice
Middle Aged
Receptors, Interleukin-2 - biosynthesis
T lymphocytes
T-Lymphocytes - immunology
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Summary:Age-associated thymic involution manifests its effects in a variety of ways that are related to a loss of T cell function. These include the appearance of a non-functional subset of T cells that increase in representation with age. Moreover there is a loss of T cell proliferative ability, a decline in the synthesis and release of interleukin-2 (IL-2), a decline in the ability of the T cell to express the IL-2 receptor, and a loss of control activity. This loss of control is demonstrated by the age-related appearance of autoantibodies and an increase in the elaboration of inflammatory cytokines such as TNF, IFN, IL-6, and TGF. A major part of the basis for the loss of T cell function is an inability of the T cell to respond to activation signals that are transmitted through the membrane binding of specific stimulatory signals. Transduction events, differentiation signals, and a loss of control mechanisms are all parts of a complicated picture of age-related immune deficiencies.
ISSN:0531-5565
1873-6815
DOI:10.1016/0531-5565(93)90058-L