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[Characteristics of immunologic test values in the elderly]
1Institut für Immunologie und Transfusionsmedizin, Medizinische Universität zu Lübeck. Rink@immu.mu-luebeck.de
Zeitschrift Fur Gerontologie Und Geriatrie
|May 1, 1997
Summary
The aging immune system exhibits significant changes, including altered immunoglobulin levels and shifts in T cell populations. Healthy elderly individuals show distinct immune profiles compared to the young and centenarians.
Area of Science:
- Immunology and Gerontology
- Age-related immune system changes
- Immunosenescence
Context:
- Immune system function naturally declines with age.
- Previous studies often confounded age-related changes with illness-induced alterations.
- The SENIEUR-Protocol established criteria for studying healthy elderly immune systems.
Purpose:
- To delineate age-dependent immune system changes in healthy elderly individuals.
- To compare immune profiles of healthy young adults, healthy elderly (SENIEUR), and centenarians.
- To discuss potential pathological implications of observed age-related immune alterations.
Summary:
- Serum immunoglobulins (IgG, IgA, IgM), autoantibodies, and benign monoclonal gammopathies increase with age.
- Lymphocyte counts decrease, while neutrophils and natural killer (NK) cells increase; T cell subsets shift (decreased CD8, increased CD4/CD8 ratio, decreased naive T cells, increased memory T cells).
- Cytokine production changes, with decreased TH1 (IL-2, IFN-gamma) and increased TH2 (IL-4, IL-10) and pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1, IL-6, TNF-alpha), alongside reduced antiviral IFN-alpha production.
Impact:
- Highlights significant, yet often normal, immune system shifts during aging.
- Provides a baseline for understanding immunosenescence in healthy individuals.
- Identifies key immune parameters that change with age, offering insights into health trajectories and potential interventions.