HUMORAL IMMUNE-RESPONSE IN AGED HUMANS - SUPPRESSOR EFFECT OF MONOCYTES ON SPONTANEOUS PLAQUE-FORMING CELL GENERATION

  • 1 January 1983
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 52  (2) , 387-392
Abstract
In 50 old donors antibody synthesis was detected using a protein A hemolytic plaque assay. Data provide evidence that the plaque-forming cell capacity of aged peripheral mononuclear cells (PBMC) is significantly depressed (0.01 > P > 0.001) in comparison to controls. Suppression is mediated by adherent cells, since monocyte-depleted lymphocytes regain the ability of generating spontaneous plaques. The inhibitory effect of monocytes seems to be prostaglandin-dependent, since indomethacin pre-treated PBMC give rise to a normal number of plaques when compared to young mononuclear cells.