Effect of aging on nitric oxide production by rat alveolar macrophages

Nitric oxide (NO) plays an important role in alveolar macrophages (AM)-mediated defense against infection. The elderly become highly susceptible to respiratory tract infection. Inhibition of NO production significantly suppresses defense against infections. Therefore, it is necessary to elucidate the effect of senescence on NO production of AM. The alveolar microenvironment and lymphocytes affect NO production by AM. We examined whether changes in the alveolar microenvironment, lymphocytes, or AM brought about by aging affect NO production by AM. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was used as a substitute for the alveolar microenvironment. The results showed that NO production by AM activated by lymph node cells in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from old rats in response to concanavalin A decreased compared with that of young rats. AM from aged rats produced less NO than AM from young rats. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and lymph node cells from aged rats had no effect on the amount of NO produced by AM. Therefore, age-associated decrease in the functional capacity of AM plays a central role in the decrease of NO production.