The upregulation of TNF alpha production is not a generalised phenomenon in the elderly between their sixth and seventh decades of life

The aim of this paper was to analyse the link between the intensity of tumo r necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) production and the health status of the elderly and to find out whether the age between sixty and seventy is a 'tu rning point' for the changes in the production of this cytokine. Fifty elde rly volunteers (age range: 60-70), twenty-five middle-aged (age range: 36-5 9) and fifty young (age range: 20-35) were enrolled into the study. Their h ealth status was graded as 'healthy' and 'almost-healthy'. The level of TNF alpha was determined by bioassay, the activity of the TNF alpha gene was a nalysed in non-stimulated PBMC by the RT-PCR method. The results showed tha t the production of TNFa in the 'healthy' elderly people is not upregulated until the age of sixty-seventy. The 'almost-healthy' elderly are character ised by a higher release of TNF alpha from the cultures of non- and stimula ted PBMC and an activation of the TNF alpha gene in the non-stimulated PBMC . Summarising, our results indicate that the deterioration of health status is a prerequisite for an exaggerated TNF alpha production by peripheral bl ood mononuclear cells of people between the sixth and seventh decades of li fe. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.