Further evidence for reduced generation of effector T cells in TDLNs of IL-2/CD40-treated elderly mice comes from the observation that elderly TDLN CD8+ T cells failed to up-regulate perforin and antigen-specific cytolytic effector function in response to IL-2/CD40, unlike their younger counterparts; this shows that anti-tumor cytotoxic effector T cell responses are compromised in the elderly. The gene discussed is IL2; the disease is neoplasm.