Immunopharmacology · Aug 1985

Interleukin-2 and aging: decreased interleukin-2 production in healthy older people does not correlate with reduced helper cell numbers or antibody response to influenza vaccine and is not corrected in vitro by thymosin alpha 1

By Ershler WB, Moore AL, Roessner K et al.

The capacity of lymphocytes obtained from healthy young or old volunteers to produce interleukin-2 was measured and the results were compared with other measures of immune function. The in vitro effect of thymosin alpha 1 on interleukin-2 production was also measured. Interleukin-2 was lower in lymphocytes from the elderly, and individuals with low production also had lower proliferative responses in vitro to phytohemagglutinin. These individuals did not have a reduced helper T-cell number, abnormal ratio of helper to suppressor T-cells or reduced antibody production in response to vaccine. Thymosin alpha 1 did not have a consistent effect on interleukin-2 production.

doi.org/10.1016/0162-3109(85)90054-2PubMed 2932408Mechanisms