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Decreased cell proliferation and altered cytokine production in frail older adults

  • Thematic Section: Inflammation and Aging
  • Original Article
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Abstract

Background and aims: Frailty is a geriatric syndrome that predicts increased morbidity and mortality. In order to investigate specific immune system modulations that may contribute to frailty, eleven age-and sex-matched pairs of community-dwelling frail and non-frail older adults were identified. Methods: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were isolated and PBMC proliferation and production of IL-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)- α, and IL-10 in the presence and absence of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were examined. Results: We found that frail subjects had a significantly lower LPS-induced PBMC proliferation ratio compared with non-frail subjects (2.1±0.9 vs 3.1±1.9, p<0.03 ). In addition, frail subjects had higher IL-6 production by PBMC at 48 hours after LPS stimulation (35678±15637 vs 25178±6342 pg/mL, p<0.03). No significant differences were observed in TNF-α, and IL-10 production between groups. Conclusions: These results suggest that, compared with non-frail controls, frail older adults have both decreased LPS-induced proliferation and increased IL-6 production by PBMC.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 5505 Hopkins Bayview Circle, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA

    Sean X. Leng, Huanle Yang & Jeremy D. Walston MD

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  1. Sean X. Leng
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  2. Huanle Yang
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  3. Jeremy D. Walston MD
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Correspondence to Jeremy D. Walston MD.

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Leng, S.X., Yang, H. & Walston, J.D. Decreased cell proliferation and altered cytokine production in frail older adults. Aging Clin Exp Res 16, 249–252 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03327392

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03327392

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