ENHANCEMENT OF LEUKOCYTE FUNCTIONS IN AGED MICE SUPPLEMENTED WITH THEANTIOXIDANT THIOPROLINE

Previous research has shown that supplementation of the diet with thio proline (thiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid), an intracellular sulfhydryl antioxidant and free radical scavenger, increases mouse life span and stimulates the immune system. In the present study aged Swiss mice (20 month old) fed thioproline (0.07%,w/w) for 5 weeks were used. Twelve month and 20 month old mice fed standard diet were used as controls. T he lymphoproliferative response to the mitogen Concanavalin A (Con A) and the mobility of lymphocytes, both spontaneous and directed to a ch emoattractant gradient (chemotaxis), as well as antibody-dependent cel lular cytotoxicity (ADCC) and natural killer (NK) activity of leukocyt es, were measured in cells from spleen and thymus. All of the above fu nctions showed a significant decrease in aged (20 months) in compariso n to adult mice (12 months). In aged animals, the ingestion of thiopro line stimulated significantly the functions studied. Moreover, the age -related stress, revealed by the high corticosterone levels, was signi ficantly decreased in animals fed this antioxidant. These data suggest that thioproline enhances immune response in the aged. (C) 1998 Publi shed by Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.