Different IL-8 production by T and NK lymphocytes in elderly subjects

A gradual decline in the functional activity of the immune system is descri bed with advancing age. The adaptive immune system seems the most severely affected, but Some age-associated modifications also occurs in NK cells. Se veral Studies investigated the age related changes of cytokine production, while little is known about chemkines, whose importance in regulating immun e-response becomes even more evident. In this study we investigated whether the ability of T lymphocytes and NK cells to produce IL-8. either spontane ously or after activation, respectively with anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody o r interleukin 2 (IL-2) was affected by age. We demonstrated that: (a) T lym phocytes and NK cells spontaneously produced detectable amounts of IL-8: (b ) anti-CD3 Stimulation of T lymphocytes significantly increased IL-8 produc tion and the increment was more evident in the nonagenarian subjects; (c) s imilarly, IL-2 Stimulation of NK cells rose the production of IL-8 but the amount produced by the old was lower than the one produced by the young gro up. Because of the co-stimulatory role of chemokines on NK responses and gi ven the demonstrated importance of NK cells in defence against viral infect ions, the decreased production of IL-8 can be involved in the defective fun ctional activity of NK cells from old subjects. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science I reland Ltd. All rights reserved.