Age-Related Decline in Thymic-Independent Immune Function in a Long-Lived Mouse Strain

Abstract

Thymic-independent immune function in young, middle-aged, and old (122-to 134-weelc-old) mice of the long-lived (C57BL/6J × 129)F1-hybrid strain was assessed by antibody response to bacterial lipopolysaccharide via a modified jerne plaque technique and also as response of spleen cells to stimulation by two B-cell mitogens. Results were compared to the age-related decline in thymicdependent immune function, as assessed by response to sheep red blood cells and (from prior data) to T-cell mitogens. When age is considered, thymic-independent immune response appears to decline to a lesser degree and perhaps later than the thymic-dependent response.