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Age-Related Changes in Type 1 and Type 2 Cytokine Production in Humans

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Handbook on Immunosenescence

Abstract

Aging is accompanied by several changes in immunity; however, altered T-cell function is one of the most consistent and dramatic changes observed. Because of the key roles that cyokines play in modulating the immune response, investigators have hypothesized that these age-related changes in T-cell function are related to, at least in part, by alterations in cytokine production. While data from murine studies generally support an age-related shift form a Th1-like cytokine response to a Th2-like response, data in humans do not support this age-related shift in cytokine production. This review of several studies indicates that age-associated changes in cytokine productions in humans are inconsistent. Further, these ageassociated changes in cytokine production do not necessarily induce a shift to a Type 2 cytokine response. This review highlights the variables that may contribute to the inconsistent results among studies. Additional studies in humans are both critical and warranted to clearly identify the effect of altered cytokine production on age-associated changes in immune function.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA

    Elizabeth M. Gardner

  2. Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA

    Elizabeth M. Gardner & Donna M. Murasko

Authors
  1. Elizabeth M. Gardner
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  2. Donna M. Murasko
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Research Center on Aging, Department of Medicine, Immunology Graduate Programme, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sherbrooke, 1036 Rue Belvedere, J1H 4C4, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada

    Tamas Fulop

  2. Department of Experimental Pathalogy, CIG Interdepartmental Center “L. Galvani” University of Bologna, Via San Giacomo 12, 40126, Bologna, Italy

    Claudio Franceschi

  3. Institute for Health and Life Sciences, 4-6-22 Kohinato, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 112-0006, Japan

    Katsuiku Hirokawa

  4. ZMF - Zentrum Med. Forschung Abt. Transplant./ Immunologie, University of Tübingen, Waldhörnlestr. 22, 72072, Tübingen, Germany

    Graham Pawelec

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Gardner, E.M., Murasko, D.M. (2009). Age-Related Changes in Type 1 and Type 2 Cytokine Production in Humans. In: Fulop, T., Franceschi, C., Hirokawa, K., Pawelec, G. (eds) Handbook on Immunosenescence. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-9063-9_39

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