Immune dysregulation in the aging human lung.

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1996. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

Immune dysregulation in the aging human lung.

Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 1996 Mar;153(3):1072-9. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE MED/96185414
Meyer KC; Ershler W; Rosenthal NS; Lu XG; Peterson K; Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin Medical School,; Madison 53792-3240, USA.

Abstract: Aging has been associated with diminished lung function and increased susceptibility to lung infection. To determine whether changes suggestive of immune dysregulation and inflammation appear in the lungs of clinically normal individuals as a function of advancing age, we performed bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) on discontinuous age groups (20-36, 45-55, and 65-78 yr old) of clinically normal volunteer subjects. We measured immunoglobulin (IgG, IgA, IgM), albumin, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-10 concentrations in BAL fluid. Bronchoalveolar cell profiles, cell surface antigen expression, and superoxide anion production were also measured. A significant increase in total cell concentration, neutrophils, and BAL immunoglobulin content was observed in the oldest age group compared with the youngest age group. Mean lymphocyte subset (CD4+/CD8+) ratios were significantly increased in blood (2.6 +/- 0.4 versus 1.6 +/- 0.1; p<0.03) and to a greater degree in BAL (4.8 +/- 1.0 versus 1.9 +/- 0.2; p<0.01) for the oldest versus youngest age groups. Similarly, BAL-derived cells displayed significantly increased phorbol myristate acetate-stimulated release of superoxide anion (8.8 +/- 1.3 versus 4.5 +/- 0.7 nmol/5 x 10 5 cells/h; p<0.01) for the oldest versus youngest subject group, and mean BAL IL-6 concentrations were significantly elevated in the oldest age group (0.86 +/- 0.13 ng/ml) compared with the youngest age group (0.53 +/- 0.03 ng/ml; p<0.01). Our observations suggest that altered inflammatory cell profiles and low-grade inflammation exist in the lower respiratory tracts of many asymptomatic, clinically normal volunteers of advanced age.

Keywords: Adult Aged Aging/*IMMUNOLOGY Albumins/ANALYSIS Antigens, Surface/ANALYSIS Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid/CYTOLOGY/IMMUNOLOGY Comparative Study CD4-CD8 Ratio Disease Susceptibility Female Human IgA/ANALYSIS IgG/ANALYSIS Interleukin-10/ANALYSIS Interleukin-6/ANALYSIS Lung/CYTOLOGY/*IMMUNOLOGY Lung Diseases/IMMUNOLOGY Male Middle Age Neutrophils/CYTOLOGY Pneumonia/IMMUNOLOGY/PATHOLOGY Superoxides/ANALYSIS Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate/DIAGNOSTIC USE JOURNAL ARTICLE
960930
M9690936

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