Immunosenescence of Lymphocytes T and Implications for Age-Related Disorders

Background. The decrease in immunity with age is still a major health concern as elderly people are more susceptible to infections and increased incidence of autoimmunity. Consequently, there is an increasing interest in immunosenescence and changes in immunology cells like T cells. The aim of our study was to find a disproportion in subpopulation of T cells as well as CD4/CD8 ratio depending on the age, gender or comorbidities. Results. In the present study, a flow cytometry was used to indicate the differences between age, sex, disorders and fat content in the CD4+ and CD8+ T cells population divided into naïve and memory cells as well as CD4/CD8 ratio in people aged 71.9± 5.8 years (females n=83, males n=16) compared to young people aged 20.6 ± 1.1 years (females n=12, males n=19). The percentage of naïve CD4+ and CD8+ cells was found to be statistically significantly lower in the elderly compared to the young. In addition, gender was observed to play an important role in the outcomes in the analysed subpopulations and in female group, who live statistically longer than males, our older group of Polish women demonstrated a significantly higher percentage of naïve lymphocytes in both the CD4+ and CD8+ populations compared to men. The CD4/CD8 ratio increases with age, which can be considered one of the markers determining longevity. Elderly people with age-related diseases (hypertension) also show an increased level of CD4/CD8 ratio as well as CD4+. Conclusion. We demonstrated that changes in the T cells population, including naïve cell population as well as CD4/CD8 ratio, are important markers which can be predictive of healthy status. In order to accurately determine longevity, gender or age-associated diseases should be taken into account.

46,XX DSD due to Androgen Excess in Monogenic Disorders of Steroidogenesis: Genetic, Biochemical, and Clinical Features

The term ‘differences of sex development’ (DSD) refers to a group of congenital conditions that are associated with atypical development of chromosomal, gonadal, or anatomical sex. Disorders of steroidogenesis comprise autosomal recessive conditions that affect adrenal and gonadal enzymes and are responsible for some conditions of 46,XX DSD where hyperandrogenism interferes with chromosomal and gonadal sex development. Congenital adrenal hyperplasias (CAHs) are disorders of steroidogenesis that mainly involve the adrenals (21-hydroxylase and 11-hydroxylase deficiencies) and sometimes the gonads (3-beta-hydroxysteroidodehydrogenase and P450-oxidoreductase); in contrast, aromatase deficiency mainly involves the steroidogenetic activity of the gonads. This review describes the main genetic, biochemical, and clinical features that apply to the abovementioned conditions. The activities of the steroidogenetic enzymes are modulated by post-translational modifications and cofactors, particularly electron-donating redox partners. The incidences of the rare forms of CAH vary with ethnicity and geography. The elucidation of the precise roles of these enzymes and cofactors has been significantly facilitated by the identification of the genetic bases of rare disorders of steroidogenesis. Understanding steroidogenesis is important to our comprehension of differences in sexual development and other processes that are related to human reproduction and fertility, particularly those that involve androgen excess as consequence of their impairment.

Un caso de desorden del desarrollo sexual en un canino mestizo

The disorders of sex development can occur in different domestic animals, but they are not very common. They are classified as sex chromosomic disorders, gonadal sex development disorders andphenotypic sex disorders and have different subcategories. The aim of this study was to describe the phenotypic, chromosomal and anatomical traits of the reproductive organs of a canine patient 3-year-old, apparently female with disorder of sexual development, which presented a protuberance into the vagina with bleeding andpus, which anamnesis male behavior report. A general examination was performed by systems, ventral abdominal ultrasound,latero-lateral radiography, blood count and karyotype whit R-replicative bands. After the evaluation found an enlarged clitoris (pseudopene) with urethral opening that showed resistance to placing a catheter. Radiography showed a structure similar to penis bone and the ultrasonography a structure consistent with the cervix in a female and a structure similar to gonadal tissue in the side. The karyotype was typical of a male, compatible with a male pseudo-hermaphrodite, which classifies the individual as XY with a phenotypic disorder of sex development (78, XY) according to the new classification. With the diagnostic tools found in Colombia is possible to make an appropriate differential diagnosis. But nevertheless, lack of availability of specific diagnostic tests such as FISH and serological measurements.

Clinical and morphological features of “inactive” pituitary adenomas: a retrospective analysis of 95 cases

Ninety-five case histories of patients with “inactive ” pituitary adenoma are analyzed. These patients were operated on from 1977 to 1983, and the diagnosis was verified in them by histological, electron-microscopic, and immunohistochemical studies of the operation material. Clinical manifestations of the disease included a) neuroophthalmological symptoms; b) sexual disorders in men and women; c) pituitary insufficiency (hypogonadism, hypothyrosis, or hypocorticoidism); d) neurological and psychopathological symptoms. By the moment of the first manifestation of the symptoms the majority of patients were middle-aged. In older patients the disease starts with ocular and/or neurological disorders, in women under 50 and men under 55 years of age as a rule with sex disorders. Moderate hyperprolactinemia was detected in half of the patients, which in 30% of cases was associated with oligo-amenorrhea-galactorrhea often leading to hyperdiagnosis of prolactotrophic adenoma. In general, all types of inactive pituitary adenoma are chromophobic by their tinctorial properties, except oncocytoma, which is poorly eosinophilic in half the cases; electron microscopy showed zero-cell adenoma to be the most incident (40%) in the examined patient population.