Decline in rates of clearance of IgG-sensitized erythrocytes with
increasing age
KA Melez, LF Fries, BS Bender, T Quinn and MM Frank
Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute of Allergy and
Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, MD 20892.
Decreased immune functions have been suggested as a cause for the increased
incidence of autoimmunity, malignancy, and infection in the elderly
population. To assess the possible role of changes in macrophage function
in the aging process we studied the Fc receptor- mediated clearance of
IgG-coated erythrocytes in 56 healthy normal volunteers by following the
removal of radiolabeled autologous erythrocytes. An age-related decrease in
Fc-mediated clearance rates in both female and male subjects was found,
which suggests a physiological decline of this macrophage function in older
individuals.
Volume 71,
Issue 6,
pp. 1726-1730,
06/01/1988
Copyright © 1988 by The American Society of Hematology
