Effect of age on cutaneous interleukin 1 expression

Age-related changes in epidermal immune function include morphologic and functional changes in Langerhans cells and decreased epidermal cytokine activity. In this study, expression of interleukin 1 (IL-1) mRNA was quantitated in 6-102-week old mice of different strains. A significant decline in cutaneous IL-1 expression occurred in mice of all strains examined; the rate of decline was most prominent in MRL/MpJ+ mice who also had highest initial levels of IL-1. This observation is in keeping with previous observations that the quantity of several gene products in youth is directly proportional to the rate of change of the quantity of that gene product. The term "economic correction" is used to describe this phenomenon.