TY - JOUR
T1 - Immune function did not decline with aging in apparently healthy, well- nourished women
AU - Krause, Deanna
AU - Mastro, Andrea M.
AU - Handte, Gordon
AU - Smiciklas-Wright, Helen
AU - Miles, Mary P.
AU - Ahluwalia, Namanjeet
N1 - Funding Information:
At the time of the study Ms. Deanna Krause was a Masters degree candidate under the supervision of Dr. Ahluwalia and Dr. Miles a post-doctoral scholar with Dr. Mastro. Supported by research grant 96-35200-3132 from the United States Department of Agriculture and a grant from the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. We are indebted to the study participants for their time and cooperation. We are grateful to Janice Groskin, Blair County Area Agency on Aging, Susan Kordish, Clearfield County Area Agency on Aging, and Jane Taylor, Centre County Office on Aging, for their invaluable assistance in subject recruitment. We thank Janet Gafkjen and the staff of the University Health Services Clinical Laboratory for their support and excellent technical assistance. We are grateful to Sharyn Leach and Cindy Pfitzenmaier for their assistance with the immune assays and tests of iron and inflammatory status.
Copyright:
Copyright 2007 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 1999/12/7
Y1 - 1999/12/7
N2 - Nutrition plays a crucial role in immune function. Most studies on age- associated changes in immunocompetence in healthy adults did not examine the nutritional status of participants extensively. Inadequate nutritional status may confound the relationship of aging and immune response. The purpose of this study was to examine age-related changes in parameters of acquired and innate immunity in healthy and generally well-nourished older (62-88 years) versus younger (20-40 years) women. Subjects were screened for participation using the health criteria of the SENIEUR protocol as well as a number of nutrition criteria related to undernutrition, and protein, iron, vitamin B12, and folate status. Young and old women did not differ in total T (CD3+), T-helper (CD4+), or T-cytotoxic (CD8+) cell number. However, older women tended to have lower T-cell proliferation response to concanavalin A (P<0.10) and significantly reduced response to phytohemagglutinin (P≤0.05). No age-related changes were noted in natural killer cell number or cytotoxicity. Phagocytosis and subsequent oxidative burst activity also did not differ between young and old women. Most immune parameters were not compromised with aging in this cohort of apparently healthy, well-nourished women. These findings highlight the importance of simultaneous examination of health and nutritional status in studies of immune function with aging.
AB - Nutrition plays a crucial role in immune function. Most studies on age- associated changes in immunocompetence in healthy adults did not examine the nutritional status of participants extensively. Inadequate nutritional status may confound the relationship of aging and immune response. The purpose of this study was to examine age-related changes in parameters of acquired and innate immunity in healthy and generally well-nourished older (62-88 years) versus younger (20-40 years) women. Subjects were screened for participation using the health criteria of the SENIEUR protocol as well as a number of nutrition criteria related to undernutrition, and protein, iron, vitamin B12, and folate status. Young and old women did not differ in total T (CD3+), T-helper (CD4+), or T-cytotoxic (CD8+) cell number. However, older women tended to have lower T-cell proliferation response to concanavalin A (P<0.10) and significantly reduced response to phytohemagglutinin (P≤0.05). No age-related changes were noted in natural killer cell number or cytotoxicity. Phagocytosis and subsequent oxidative burst activity also did not differ between young and old women. Most immune parameters were not compromised with aging in this cohort of apparently healthy, well-nourished women. These findings highlight the importance of simultaneous examination of health and nutritional status in studies of immune function with aging.
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U2 - 10.1016/S0047-6374(99)00070-6
DO - 10.1016/S0047-6374(99)00070-6
M3 - Article
C2 - 10656182
AN - SCOPUS:0032701455
SN - 0047-6374
VL - 112
SP - 43
EP - 57
JO - Mechanisms of Ageing and Development
JF - Mechanisms of Ageing and Development
IS - 1
ER -