The relationship between age and production of tumour necrosis factor-α in healthy volunteers and patients with chronic heart failure

Background: Ageing is associated with an altered immune response. Elevated plasma levels of tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) are present in patients with advanced chronic heart failure (CHF). However, the relationship between age and the immune response in CHF is unknown. Methods: We investigated the relationship between age and the TNF-α generating capacity of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in nine healthy control subjects (mean age 51.6±3.6 years, age range 39-75 years) and 22 stable patients with CHF (mean age 68.3±1.5 years, age range 52-78 years, NYHA class 3.0±0.2). We also tested the TNF-α generating capacity of all control subjects and 18 CHF patients in whole blood cultures. Results: Subjects were subgrouped according to baseline TNF-α secretion in PBMC cultures into low- and high-responders, with the latter producing TNF-α even without LPS stimulation. High-responders produced more TNF-α than low-responders at all LPS doses (0.001-10 ng/ml, P