Absence of correlations between plasma catecholamine levels and mononuclear leukocyte beta 2-adrenergic receptors in the elderly

beta(2)-Adrenergic receptor-dependent sexual dimorphism for murine leukocyte migration

In wild-type FVB mice, leukocyte recruitment to lipopolysaccharide was sexually dimorphic, with a greater number of leukocytes recruited in females. In male beta(2)-adrenergic receptor knock out mice (bred on a congenic FVB background) the number of leukocytes recruited was increased approximately 4-fold, while in females there was no change, eliminating sexual dimorphism in leukocyte migration. While there were significantly fewer recruited CD62L(+) and CD11a(+) leukocytes in wild-type males, only in male beta-adrenergic receptor knock out mice was there an increase in the number of recruited CD11a(+) leukocytes, again eliminating sexual dimorphism. Thus, leukocyte migration and CD11a(+) adhesion molecule expression in male, but not in female, leukocytes is beta-adrenergic receptor-dependent. Our findings provide support for a role of beta(2)-adrenergic receptor mechanisms in the inflammatory response, and suggest that beta(2)-adrenergic receptor on male leukocytes contributes to sexual dimorphism in the effect of stress on inflammatory diseases.

The process of aging changes the interplay of the immune, endocrine and nervous systems

The immune, endocrine and nervous systems interact with each other by means of cytokines, hormones and neurotransmitters. Interaction is dependent on specific receptors and respective signaling pathways in target cells. During aging, changes occur on many levels of these global systems which depend on oxidative damage, non-enzymatic glycosylation, mitochondrial mutations, defects in cell cycle control, mitotic dysregulation, genome instability, telomere shortening and other chromosomal pathologies. An alteration of the numerical value of a parameter of one system can lead to changes of the numerical value of a variable of another system. In a non-linear dynamic process these changes can contribute to the aging phenotype. Although it is extremely difficult to dissect linear interrelations of three global systems during aging, this review attempts to identify some simple linear pathways. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that chronic inflammatory diseases may accelerate the aging process. This review also reveals that new statistical and computational methods are necessary to unravel the complexity of the aging process.

Management of cardiopulmonary resuscitation

Since cardiopulmonary resuscitation was first described in 1960, it has become a standardized medical intervention. Separate guidelines have been developed for the neonatal and pediatric population, but none exist for the elderly population. This review will discuss recent available outcome data on resuscitation of the elderly and the known physiologic changes with aging that may affect decisions made during resuscitation.

Adrenergic and serotonergic receptors in aged monkey neocortex

Autoradiography was employed to compare the distribution and density of adrenergic (alpha 1, alpha 2, and beta) and serotonergic (5-HT1 and 5-HT2) receptors in the neocortex of young adult (3 to 10 years of age) and aged (> 20 years of age) rhesus monkeys. The age-related changes in the density of adrenergic and serotonergic sites were area and layer specific. A decrease in the density of alpha 1 receptors occurred only in the superficial layers of the somatosensory cortex, whereas the density of alpha 2 receptors declined in layer I of the prefrontal cortex and in most layers of the motor and somatosensory regions. The increase in beta receptors was largely confined to the deep layers of the motor and somatosensory areas. The density of 5-HT1 sites decreased in most layers of the somatosensory cortex, while 5-HT2 receptors declined in the deep layers of the motor cortex and middle strata of the visual cortex. Overall, adrenergic and serotonergic receptors were least affected in the prefrontal cortex and most compromised in the motor and somatosensory cortex of aged primates.