Table 1.
Crude zinc balance and endocrine–immune parameters studied in young, old and very old mice in each time interval considered during compensatory liver growth from pHx
| Time from partial hepatectomy | Mice |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Young | Old | Very old | ||
| NK cell activity (L.U.20/107 cells) | t=0 (sham) | 25.2±3.2 | 8.5±2.0 | 12.5±2.0 |
| pHx 48 h | 14.7±5.1* | 7.8±1.3 | 6.5±1.4* | |
| pHx 15 days | 20.6±6.5 | 7.4±1.4 | 14.3±1.8 | |
| IL-2 (pg ml−1) | t=0 (sham) | 38.7±3.5 | 11.3±2.4 | 25.4±3.6 |
| pHx 48 h | 11±4.3* | 11.4±1.8 | 11.3±1.6* | |
| pHx 15 days | 36,8±4.5 | 11.3±1.7 | 26.4±3.4 | |
| Crude zinc balance (μg per day per mouse) | t=0 (sham) | +1.17±0.15 | −1.07±0.28 | +0.51±0.07 |
| pHx 48 h | −1.27±0.33 | −1.57±0.31** | -0.68±0.07 | |
| pHx 15 days | +1.25±0.24 | −0.97±0.18 | +0.37±0.04 | |
| Corticosterone (ng ml−1) | t=0 (sham) | 150±14 | 250±19 | 200±11 |
| pHx 48 h | 295±17* | 261±21 | 310±13* | |
| pHx 15 days | 143±12 | 249±23 | 199±14 | |
| IL-6 (pg ml−1) | t=0 (sham) | 7.8±3.9 | 25.8±9.8 | 12.6±3.2 |
| pHx 48 h | 26.7±6.6* | 26.4±7.6 | 26.4±9.4* | |
| pHx 15 days | 7.4±3.5 | 26.7±8.4 | 15.0±2.4 | |
| SIL-6R (ng ml−1) | t=0 (sham) | 19±4.6 | 45±9.1 | 25±5.1 |
| pHx 48 h | 45±8.3* | 47±8.4 | 47±15.8* | |
| pHx 15 days | 21±5.9 | 51±9.7 | 28±6.8 | |
*P<0.01 when compared with sham and 15 days from partial hepatectomy. **P<0.05 when compared with young and very old mice at 48 h.