Basal and induced amounts of interleukin-6 mRNA decline progressively with age in human fibroblasts

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a multi-functional cytokine that plays a role in the body's response to injury and infection. IL-6 expression is induced in young human diploid fibroblasts (HDF) in response to a number of agents including fetal bovine serum, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate, double-stranded RNA, and forskolin. In contrast, we find that senescent HDF are markedly deficient in their ability to express IL-6 in response to serum, double-stranded RNA, and 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate, whereas forskolin is still an effective inducer for senescent cells. Thus, specific pathways for stimulating IL-6 expression appear to be blocked in senescent HDF. The basal amount of IL-6 mRNA in unstimulated senescent HDF is also much lower than in unstimulated young quiescent HDF. Likewise, the amount of IL-6 protein produced by senescent HDF is decreased at least 10-fold. Both the basal and induced levels of IL-6 declined progressively with aging of the HDF in culture, e.g. IL-6 cannot be induced above the young basal level by approximately 65% of life-span completed. If a similar decrease in IL-6 expression takes place in HDF in vivo, it could contribute to the decline in wound healing and the increase in the number and severity of infections experienced by aged individuals.