Decreased natural killer cell activity is associated with atherosclerosis in elderly humans

Helle Bruunsgaard; Agnes N. Pedersen; Marianne Schroll; Peter Skinhoj; Bente Klarlund Pedersen

doi:10.1016/S0531-5565(01)00162-0

Decreased natural killer cell activity is associated with atherosclerosis in elderly humans

Helle Bruunsgaard^*, Agnes N. Pedersen, Marianne Schroll, Peter Skinhoj, Bente Klarlund Pedersen

^*Corresponding author for this work

75 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Well-preserved natural killer cell (NK) activity has been associated with successful aging. The aim of the present study was to perform detailed analyses of NK cell function and to investigate the clinical significance of the NK cell number and function in relationship to health in a large cohort of elderly humans. It was tested if the potential of natural cytotoxicity in the blood (evaluated as an index including cytotoxicity per NK cell and the number of circulating NK cells) was preserved in 174 81-year-old humans versus 91 young controls and if NK cell mediated immunity was associated with age-related inflammatory diseases such as atherosclerosis. Elderly people had decreased cytotoxicity per NK cell in short-term but not in long-term assays. Ca²⁺ independent cytotoxicity was unaltered, and NK cells maintained their cytotoxic responses to interleukin-2 and interferon-alpha signals. The decreased cytotoxicity per NK cell was not completely counteracted by increased circulating numbers of NK cells in the blood. Elderly people with severe medical disorders had low numbers of circulating NK cells. Furthermore, elderly people with atherosclerosis had low cytotoxicity per NK cell and a high number of circulating neutrophils.

Original language	English
Journal	Experimental Gerontology
Volume	37
Issue number	1
Pages (from-to)	127-136
Number of pages	10
ISSN	0531-5565
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/S0531-5565(01)00162-0
Publication status	Published - 2001
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Aging
Atherosclerosis
Natural killer cell activity

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10.1016/S0531-5565(01)00162-0

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title = "Decreased natural killer cell activity is associated with atherosclerosis in elderly humans",

abstract = "Well-preserved natural killer cell (NK) activity has been associated with successful aging. The aim of the present study was to perform detailed analyses of NK cell function and to investigate the clinical significance of the NK cell number and function in relationship to health in a large cohort of elderly humans. It was tested if the potential of natural cytotoxicity in the blood (evaluated as an index including cytotoxicity per NK cell and the number of circulating NK cells) was preserved in 174 81-year-old humans versus 91 young controls and if NK cell mediated immunity was associated with age-related inflammatory diseases such as atherosclerosis. Elderly people had decreased cytotoxicity per NK cell in short-term but not in long-term assays. Ca2+ independent cytotoxicity was unaltered, and NK cells maintained their cytotoxic responses to interleukin-2 and interferon-alpha signals. The decreased cytotoxicity per NK cell was not completely counteracted by increased circulating numbers of NK cells in the blood. Elderly people with severe medical disorders had low numbers of circulating NK cells. Furthermore, elderly people with atherosclerosis had low cytotoxicity per NK cell and a high number of circulating neutrophils.",

keywords = "Aging, Atherosclerosis, Natural killer cell activity",

author = "Helle Bruunsgaard and Pedersen, {Agnes N.} and Marianne Schroll and Peter Skinhoj and Pedersen, {Bente Klarlund}",

note = "Funding Information: The excellent assistance of Hanne Villumsen, Ruth Rousing, Leila Jacobsen, Birgit Jensen and Gitte Petersen is acknowledged. The research was supported by the Velux Foundation and The Danish Foundation for the Advancement of Medical Science. H. Bruunsgaard was supported by a grant from The Danish Research Council.",

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doi = "10.1016/S0531-5565(01)00162-0",

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T1 - Decreased natural killer cell activity is associated with atherosclerosis in elderly humans

AU - Bruunsgaard, Helle

AU - Pedersen, Agnes N.

AU - Schroll, Marianne

AU - Skinhoj, Peter

AU - Pedersen, Bente Klarlund

N1 - Funding Information: The excellent assistance of Hanne Villumsen, Ruth Rousing, Leila Jacobsen, Birgit Jensen and Gitte Petersen is acknowledged. The research was supported by the Velux Foundation and The Danish Foundation for the Advancement of Medical Science. H. Bruunsgaard was supported by a grant from The Danish Research Council.

PY - 2001

Y1 - 2001

N2 - Well-preserved natural killer cell (NK) activity has been associated with successful aging. The aim of the present study was to perform detailed analyses of NK cell function and to investigate the clinical significance of the NK cell number and function in relationship to health in a large cohort of elderly humans. It was tested if the potential of natural cytotoxicity in the blood (evaluated as an index including cytotoxicity per NK cell and the number of circulating NK cells) was preserved in 174 81-year-old humans versus 91 young controls and if NK cell mediated immunity was associated with age-related inflammatory diseases such as atherosclerosis. Elderly people had decreased cytotoxicity per NK cell in short-term but not in long-term assays. Ca2+ independent cytotoxicity was unaltered, and NK cells maintained their cytotoxic responses to interleukin-2 and interferon-alpha signals. The decreased cytotoxicity per NK cell was not completely counteracted by increased circulating numbers of NK cells in the blood. Elderly people with severe medical disorders had low numbers of circulating NK cells. Furthermore, elderly people with atherosclerosis had low cytotoxicity per NK cell and a high number of circulating neutrophils.

AB - Well-preserved natural killer cell (NK) activity has been associated with successful aging. The aim of the present study was to perform detailed analyses of NK cell function and to investigate the clinical significance of the NK cell number and function in relationship to health in a large cohort of elderly humans. It was tested if the potential of natural cytotoxicity in the blood (evaluated as an index including cytotoxicity per NK cell and the number of circulating NK cells) was preserved in 174 81-year-old humans versus 91 young controls and if NK cell mediated immunity was associated with age-related inflammatory diseases such as atherosclerosis. Elderly people had decreased cytotoxicity per NK cell in short-term but not in long-term assays. Ca2+ independent cytotoxicity was unaltered, and NK cells maintained their cytotoxic responses to interleukin-2 and interferon-alpha signals. The decreased cytotoxicity per NK cell was not completely counteracted by increased circulating numbers of NK cells in the blood. Elderly people with severe medical disorders had low numbers of circulating NK cells. Furthermore, elderly people with atherosclerosis had low cytotoxicity per NK cell and a high number of circulating neutrophils.

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DO - 10.1016/S0531-5565(01)00162-0

M3 - Journal article

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SN - 0531-5565

VL - 37

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IS - 1

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Decreased natural killer cell activity is associated with atherosclerosis in elderly humans

Abstract

Keywords

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