Change Of The Aging Mouse T Lymphocyte Function And Delay Immunosenescence Drug Screening

It is well — known that the immune function declines with aging. Previous works in our laboratory showed that the production of IL —2, IL—3, GM—CSF and NLK decreased in spleen lymphocytes from aged mice, and gene transcription of these factors was inhibited also. In this study, the functinal changes in lymphocytes from aged mice were studied further, and a series of drugs were screened in order to find some drugs which have restorative effects on the deficiency of the immune system associated with aging.1. The proliferation response of lymphocytes was determined by [~3H] — thymidine incorporation. After conA — stimulation, the stimulation index (stimulated/unstimulated, SI) of lymphocytes from aged mice lymphnodes was 21. 45 ± 11. 6, but the SI of lymphocytes from young mice lymphnodes was 65. 56 ±10. 8. The SI of aged mice was significantly lower than that of young mice. [~3H ] — valine incorporation was used to determined protein synthesis capabilituy. It appeared that conA — stimulated lymphocytes from aged micehad significantly decreased protein synthesis capability as compared to that from young mice (P