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Clin. Vaccine Immunol. doi:10.1128/CVI.00110-08
Copyright (c) 2008, American Society for Microbiology and/or the Listed Authors/Institutions. All Rights Reserved.

Effect of ageing and gender on naturally acquired antibodies to pneumococcal capsular polysaccharides and virulence-associated proteins

Department of Vaccines, National Public Health Institute, Helsinki, Finland; Department of Health and Functional Capacity, National Public Health Institute, Helsinki, Finland

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. Email: merja.vakevainen{at}ktl.fi.

	Abstract

Aged individuals are susceptible to pneumococcal infections. Although factors contributing to the increased susceptibility of the elderly to bacterial infections may be several, compromised immune function, a consequence of normal human aging, is widely accepted to play a role. We evaluated the effect of ageing on the concentrations of naturally acquired antibodies to pneumococcal capsular polysaccharide (PPS) and protein antigens. The concentrations of IgG and IgM antibodies to PPSs of serotypes 3, 4, 6B, 9V, 14 and 23F, and IgG antibodies to pneumococcal virulence-associated proteins CbpA, LytC, PhtD and it's C-terminal fragment (PhtD C), NanA, PspA fam1 and PspA fam2 were measured by enzyme immunoassay in the sera of the younger (30 to 64 years of age) and elderly (65 to 97 years of age) adults. The concentrations of anti-PPS IgG against serotypes 3 and 6B, of anti-PPS IgM against serotypes 3, 4, 6B, 9V and 23F, and of anti-protein IgG against all tested antigens were significantly lower in the elderly compared to younger adults. Stronger decline in anti-PPS antibody concentrations was seen with age in women compared to men, while anti-protein antibody concentrations were mainly similar between the genders. Age, gender and nature of the antigen have substantial and varying effects on the antibody concentrations in the sera of adults.