Utilization of Flowcytometry for Accessment of Natural Immunity as a Body Defense Mechanism in Aged People

我们研究了老年人（65岁以上）的生活方式与作为一种非特异性机体防御机制的自然免疫的相关性。本研究旨在探讨老年人的免疫功能，并将其作为老年人保健的评估指标。在为期3年的调查中，参加调查的总人数为290人（65岁以上，男性116人，女性174人），居住在琦玉县的Nagri。检测其自然杀伤（NK）细胞活性、嗜中性粒细胞吞噬功能、活性氧产生能力和淋巴细胞亚群（T和B细胞）用流式细胞术方法沿着血清生物化学和尿分析进行分析，此外还有关于其生活方式的问卷调查，如健康实践、运动或体育活动、饮食、吸烟和饮酒习惯，我们还讨论了哪种生活方式对维持老年人的健康和作为机体防御机制的免疫功能更重要，结果表明，中性粒细胞功能（吞噬活性和活性氧产生）相对容易受到生活方式的影响，即与饮食习惯、压力或道德测试显著相关，也与男性的抓握能力和反射能力相关，但不显著。NK细胞（CD16+CD56+）和NKT细胞（CD3+CD56+）的数量也与饮食习惯或体力活动有关，但与压力和道德测试无关。淋巴细胞功能往往与男性良好的饮食或饮酒习惯相关，与女性的低BMI（而不是肥胖）相关。

We have studied on correlation of the life style of aged people (over 65 years old) to natural immunity as a non-specific body defense mechanism. In the present study, we focused to investigate the immune function of aged people and to utilize the resulted data for assessment of health care for aged people. The total number of subjects attended in the survey carried out for 3 years were 290 people (over 65-year old 116 male and 174 female) who lived in Nagri, Saitama prefecture. We measured their immunological function such as natural killer (NK) cell activity, phagocytosis and active oxygen production of neutrophiles, and population of lymphocyte subsets (T and B cells) analyzed with flowcytometry method along with serum biochemistry and urinalysis, in addition to questionnaire for their life style such as health practice, locomotion or physical activity, diet, smoking, and alcohol habits, and so on. We also discussed which life style is more important to maintain their good health and immune function as a body defense mechanism in aged people.As a result, it was shown that neutrophile function (phagocytic activity and active oxygen production) was comparatively susceptible to life style, that is, significantly correlated to dietary habit, stress or moral test, and also correlated, but not significant, to grasping power in men and reflectivity. The numbers of both NK (CD16+CD56+) and NKT cells (CD3+CD56+) also correlated to dietary habit or physical activity but not to stress nor moral test. Lymphocyte function tended to correlate to good dietary or alcohol habit in men and to low BMI (not obesity) in women.