• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
• /
• v.14 no.1
• /
• pp.30-36
• /
• 1997

It is well estabilished that IL-4, IL-6, $IFN{\gamma}$ and immunoglobulin production are increased as a consequence of advancing age, and endothelial cells increase their expression of pro-inflammatory surface protein, such as ICAM-1, as a consequence of contact with inflammatory cytokines, including IL-1, $TNF{\alpha} or INF{\gamma}.$ This study was designed to define the relationship between age-associated changes of cytokines and immunoglobulin production and ICAM-1 expression in aged mice. Serum from aged mice had elevated IL-6 and immunoglobulin levels compared to mature adult controls and activation-induced production of $IFN{\gamma}$ of splenocytes from aged mice were increased above normal adult level. By immunoperoxidase staining, ICAM-1 in hearts of normal adult mice was expressed occasionally at low levels, but in aged mice, the number of positive blood vessels for ICAM-1 were increased and also the immunoreactivity were stronger. Therefore, these finding indicate that the altered expression of ICAM-1 eith normal aging may actually be correlative to these age-related changes in cytokiness and immunoglobulin production.