Diminished cytokines gene expression in lymphoid organs of healthy aged rats

作者：Pachowka Maria^*; Makula Jolanta; Korczak Kowalska Grazyna

来源：Cytokine, 2011, 54(1): 24-28.

DOI：10.1016/j.cyto.2010.11.007

• Aging
• Cytokine
• Gene expression
• Lymphoid tissues
• Real-time PCR

Immunuosenescence-related dysregulation of cytokine production is not fully understood and the roles of cytokines in organ aging have been insufficiently studied. This work aimed to compare the expression of interleukin-2 (IL-2), IL-4, IL-6, interferon-gamma (IFN gamma), and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF beta) in lymphoid organs of young (3 months; n = 10), adult (1 year; n = 10), and aged (2 years; n = 7) rats under healthy, steady-state conditions. Cytokine mRNA levels were determined with TaqMan real-time PCR. In the spleen, all cytokine expression gradually declined with age (for representative cytokine IL-2 averages dCt in spleens of 3 months. 1 year and 2 years rats were 13,645, 13,19 and 15.470, respectively). In lymph nodes, all cytokines except TGF-beta showed markedly upregulated expression in adult compared to young rats, but all were expressed at very low levels in aged rats. In bone marrow, adult animals showed enhanced IL-2, IFN gamma, and TGF beta expression, but similar IL-4 and IL-6 expression, compared to young rats. Bone marrow of aged rats showed very low expression of all the measured cytokines. Our results demonstrated that changes occurred unevenly with aging in different immune system compartments.

• 出版日期2011-4