Age-related alterations in inflammatory response during experimental autoimmune prostatitis

Experimental autoimmune prostatitis (EAP) is an experimental model of autoimmune disease, developed in Wistar rats against prostatic components. The 12-and 18-month-old rats with EAP show a higher cellular autoimmune response and lower humoral autoimmune response compared to 3-month-old rats. The analysis of NO. and O-2(-) production by peritoneal exudate cells (PECs) resulted in a higher NO. and O-2(-) production in EAP rats at all ages, compared to control animals. PECs from 12- and 18-month-old rats produced more NO. and less O-2(-) than PECs from 3-month-old rats. However, lipopolysacharide (LPS) did not stimulate PECs from aged rats for NO. production as much as in 3-month-old rats and thus, turning out in a lower index of LPS-stimulation of PECs from aged rats, compared to 3-month-old rats. Furthermore, the mast cells number in prostates of EAP rats, especially the number of degranulated cells, was higher than in control animals, but no significant differences were found between 3- and 12-month-old control rats. In conclusion, these results show that aging affects differentially the inflammation mediators during EAP. (C) 2000 Published by Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.