D. Lio et al., In vitro treatment with interleukin-2 normalizes type-1 cytokine production by lymphocytes from elderly, IMMUNOPH IM, 22(2), 2000, pp. 195-203
The term immunosenescence is taken to mean the deterioration of immune func
tion seen in elderly, which is manifested in increased susceptibility to in
fectious diseases, neoplasias, and autoimmune diseases. It is only recently
that we have begun to understand the cellular and molecular changes involv
ed. Of special interest in this regard are observations of a decline in syn
thesis of Type-1 cytokines which predisposes to diminished cell mediated im
munity. We have evaluated the production of type 1 cytokines in old and you
ng donors either in presence or in absence of recombinant interleukin-2 (rI
L-2). Lymphocytes were stimulated with plastic bound anti-CD3 and after 48
h the supernatants were harvested and stored at -70 degrees C until assay.
Type 1 cytokine, i.e. IL-12 and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) production by
anti-CDS stimulated lymphocytes from old subjects was significantly reduced
when compared to that from young ones. This impaired production was revers
ed by adding rIL-2 in the culture medium. In previous studies on aged subje
cts, we have been able to demonstrate that in vitro treatment with rIL-2 co
mpletely restores proliferative responses and partially rescues the increas
ed apoptosis of T cell cultures. Present and previous results suggest that
rIL-2 completely restores Type 1 responses by overcoming the well known cos
timulation deficit of aged lymphocytes.