The immunogenetics of immune senescence. |
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Authors: | M E Weksler R Schwab |
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Affiliation: | Department of Medicine, Cornell University Medical College, New York, N.Y. 10021. |
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Abstract: | Immune senescence is characterized by a dysregulation of the immune system. With respect to humoral immunity, aging is associated with an increased level of many autoantibodies and a decreased antibody response to most foreign antigens. This observation reflects a decreased capacity to activate antibody production by CD5-negative B cells despite a normal or increased capacity to generate antibodies produced by the CD5-positive B cells. A similar dysregulation of cell-mediated immunity is manifested by an altered balance in cytokine production by T cells from old as compared to young subjects. Thus, the production of interleukin-2 (IL-2), IL-3 and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor by T cells from old subjects is decreased although the production of IL-4, IL-5 and IL-6 is undiminished or actually increased. |
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