Effect of aging on immunoglobulin synthesis in human submandibular and parotid glands: an immuno-histochemical study

ABSTRACT

Submandibular and parotid glands from 20 young [less than 40 years] and 20 aging [40-70 years] individuals were immuno-histochemically evaluated for their immunoglobulin content. IgG, IgA, sIgA and IgM were evaluated in all the specimens by using polyclonal antibody staining. The Ig secretion was seen with IgG, IgM, IgA and secretory IgA. However, the intensity of the staining was more obvious with the latter. An appreciable decrease in protein synthesis with increasing age in male subjects resulted from reduced ribosomal aggregation to mRNA. This reduction, which was particularly noted with sIgA and IgG, was most likely an age related phenomenon rather than due to changes in ribonuclease or availability of amino acids for protein synthesis. In female subjects, the secretion was constant throughout their imunoglobulins adult life span