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Effect of age on marrow macrophage number and function

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Abstract

Employing flow cytometry and a monoclonal antibody against the murine macrophage antigen, Mac- 1, we found a significant increase in the number of marrow macrophages in aged mice. This was reflected as significant increase with age in the number of α- naphthyl acetate esterase positive cells, as well as in colony forming unit- macrophage (CFU- M) progenitor cells. Macrophages from the marrow of old mice generated significantly less tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) than did macrophages from young mice, either spontaneously or when activated by granulocyte- macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM- CSF). Furthermore, conditioned medium (CM) derived from either marrow or peritoneal macrophages of old mice caused less suppression of burst forming unit- erythroid (BFU- E) colony growth than did CM obtained from young mice. Aging, therefore, is associated with an increase in the number of marrow macrophages that have an impaired ability to generate or release cytokines. The increase in macrophage number may reflect a compensation for their reduced function. Altered macrophage number and function may contribute to the age- related decline in hematopoietic reserve capacity.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. GRECC (182/LR), John L. McClellan Memorial, Veterans Hospital, 4300 West Seventh Street, Little Rock, AR, 72205, USA

    C. Q. Wang, K. B. Udupa Ph.D., H. Xiao & D. A. Lipschitz

  2. Division on Aging and Hematology/Oncology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA

    C. Q. Wang, K. B. Udupa Ph.D., H. Xiao & D. A. Lipschitz

  3. Departments of Medicine, Physiology and Biophysics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA

    C. Q. Wang, K. B. Udupa Ph.D., H. Xiao & D. A. Lipschitz

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  1. C. Q. Wang
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  2. K. B. Udupa Ph.D.
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  3. H. Xiao
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  4. D. A. Lipschitz
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Wang, C.Q., Udupa, K.B., Xiao, H. et al. Effect of age on marrow macrophage number and function. Aging Clin Exp Res 7, 379–384 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03324349

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03324349

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