TY - JOUR
T1 - Studies on the mechanism of low natural killer cell activity in infant and aged mice
AU - Riccardi, C.
AU - Giampietri, A.
AU - Migliorati, G.
AU - Frati, L.
AU - Herberman, R. B.
PY - 1986
Y1 - 1986
N2 - NK activity in mice is high between about 6 and 10 weeks of age. In contrast, infant mice and mice older than 12-14 weeks of age usually have quite low or undetectable NK activity. Studies were performed to analyze the mechanisms underlying this characteristic age-related regulation of NK activity. Spleen cells from infant mice did not develop appreciable NK activity upon incubation for 12-18 h with either interferon (IFN) or interleukin-2 (IL-2). Analysis of the frequency of IL-2-dependent progenitors of NK cells, in a limiting dilution assay, also indicated that the spleens of infant mice are deficient in precursors of NK cells. In contrast, spleen cells from old mice (30 weeks old) developed substantial levels of NK activity upon incubation with either IFN or IL-2, and they showed a frequency of IL-2-dependent progenitors of effector cells that was similar to that of young mice. Both infant and old mice had plastic-adherent suppressor cells in their spleens, which could strongly inhibit NK activity. In addition, both infant and old mouse spleen cells contained nonadherent suppressor cells, which had a higher density on Percoll gradients than NK cells. Thus, several factors appear to contribute to the age-related regulations of NK activity in mice.
AB - NK activity in mice is high between about 6 and 10 weeks of age. In contrast, infant mice and mice older than 12-14 weeks of age usually have quite low or undetectable NK activity. Studies were performed to analyze the mechanisms underlying this characteristic age-related regulation of NK activity. Spleen cells from infant mice did not develop appreciable NK activity upon incubation for 12-18 h with either interferon (IFN) or interleukin-2 (IL-2). Analysis of the frequency of IL-2-dependent progenitors of NK cells, in a limiting dilution assay, also indicated that the spleens of infant mice are deficient in precursors of NK cells. In contrast, spleen cells from old mice (30 weeks old) developed substantial levels of NK activity upon incubation with either IFN or IL-2, and they showed a frequency of IL-2-dependent progenitors of effector cells that was similar to that of young mice. Both infant and old mice had plastic-adherent suppressor cells in their spleens, which could strongly inhibit NK activity. In addition, both infant and old mouse spleen cells contained nonadherent suppressor cells, which had a higher density on Percoll gradients than NK cells. Thus, several factors appear to contribute to the age-related regulations of NK activity in mice.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0022999274&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0022999274&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article
C2 - 2946943
AN - SCOPUS:0022999274
VL - 5
SP - 238
EP - 249
JO - Natural Immunity and Cell Growth Regulation
JF - Natural Immunity and Cell Growth Regulation
SN - 0254-7600
IS - 5
ER -