Weksler M E
Department of Medicine, Cornell University Medical College, New York.
Eur J Clin Pharmacol. 1993;45 Suppl 1:S21-3; discussion S43-4. doi: 10.1007/BF01844199.
Immune senescence is characterized by dysregulation of the immune system. The disorder occurs during old age and is manifested by an increased production of autoantibodies and a decreased production of antibodies to most foreign antigens. These events seem to reflect an altered ratio of activity between the CD5+ and CD5- B cell subsets. Likewise, there is dysregulation of cytokine production with an increased production of IL-4, IL-5 and IL-6 associated with a decreased production of IL-2. This appears to reflect an altered ratio of activity between the Th1 and Th2 cell subsets. Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is one of the three principal adrenal steroids; its serum concentration declines with age. Recent results suggest that in vitro culture of lymphocytes, from aged donors, with DHEA or in vivo treatment of old mice with DHA sulphate results in the augmentation of the antibody response to foreign antigens and a reversal in the dysregulated cytokine production by T cells. Thus, a decline in one of the three principal adrenal steroids is associated with age-associated changes in the immune system. Some of these changes can be reversed by exposure to DHEA.
免疫衰老的特征是免疫系统失调。这种紊乱发生在老年时期，表现为自身抗体产生增加，而针对大多数外来抗原的抗体产生减少。这些现象似乎反映了CD5+和CD5 - B细胞亚群之间活性比例的改变。同样，细胞因子产生也失调，IL - 4、IL - 5和IL - 6产生增加，而IL - 2产生减少。这似乎反映了Th1和Th2细胞亚群之间活性比例的改变。脱氢表雄酮（DHEA）是三种主要肾上腺类固醇之一；其血清浓度随年龄下降。最近的结果表明，用DHEA体外培养老年供体的淋巴细胞，或用硫酸脱氢表雄酮对老年小鼠进行体内治疗，会增强对外来抗原的抗体反应，并逆转T细胞中失调的细胞因子产生。因此，三种主要肾上腺类固醇之一的减少与免疫系统中与年龄相关的变化有关。其中一些变化可以通过接触DHEA来逆转。
