The −174 C/G locus affects in vitro/in vivo IL-6 production during aging

• Published in: Experimental gerontology Vol. 37; no. 2; pp. 309 - 314
• Main Authors: Olivieri, Fabiola, Bonafè, Massimiliano, Cavallone, Luca, Giovagnetti, Simona, Marchegiani, Francesca, Cardelli, Maurizio, Mugianesi, Elena, Giampieri, Claudia, Moresi, Raffaella, Stecconi, Rosalia, Lisa, Rosamaria, Franceschi, Claudio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Inc 01.01.2002
• Subjects: Adherent peripheral blood mononuclear cells; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Aging; Aging - genetics; Aging - immunology; Cells, Cultured; Cytidine; Female; Genetic Variation; Guanine; Humans; In Vitro Techniques; Interleukin-6; Interleukin-6 - biosynthesis; Interleukin-6 - genetics; Leukocytes, Mononuclear - immunology; Male; Middle Aged; Polymorphism; Aging; Adherent peripheral blood mononuclear cells; Interleukin-6; Polymorphism
• ISSN: 0531-5565; 1873-6815
• DOI: 10.1016/S0531-5565(01)00197-8

IL-6 in vitro production, as well as the serum/plasma concentration of the cytokine, increase with age. In the present investigation, a total of 62 individuals (31 males and 31 females), aged from 29 to 93 years of age (mean age of males: 60.4 years; mean age of females: 59.4 years) were assessed for IL-6 plasma concentration, and for IL-6 in vitro production, using supernatants of 4 h cultured adherent peripheral blood mononuclear cells (aPBMC). The subjects were examined for a C to G transition at nucleotide −174 of the IL-6 gene promoter (−174 C/G locus), and were classified as C allele carriers (C+) or non-carriers (C−). We found that: (i) aPBMC from C+ individuals produced smaller amounts of IL-6 in vitro than C− individuals; (ii) IL-6 production by aPBMC increased with age in C+ but not in C− subjects; (iii) there was no correlation between IL-6 plasma levels and in vitro IL-6 production by aPBMC; (iv) IL-6 C+ individuals had lower plasma levels than C− individuals, and this phenomenon was significant only in men. On the whole our data indicate that the production of IL-6 is genetically controlled and age- and gender-dependent.