title: Biological effects of recombinant vaccinia virus-expressed interleukin 4.
abstract: Recombinant vaccinia viruses expressing murine interleukin 4 (IL-4), either alone or together with interleukin 2 (IL-2) or gamma interferon (gamma-IFN), were constructed. Unlike IL-2, IL-4 expressing viruses were not cleared from immunodeficient mice and the mice died. As they died more rapidly than immunodeficient mice inoculated with a control virus, it appeared that IL-4 contributed to their death and the IL-4 mediated toxicity was confirmed in normal immunocompetent mice. The toxicity was reversed by co-expression of either IL-2 or gamma-IFN, probably due to virus clearance and therefore lower levels of circulating IL-4. Vaccinia virus-expressed IL-4 did not increase antibody or natural killer cell levels and caused a slight decrease in cytotoxic T lymphocyte levels.
authors.affiliation: CSIRO Australian Animal Health Laboratory, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Andrew
authors.forename: B E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Coupar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016207:Cytokines / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D007108:Immune Tolerance / Q000502:physiology; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D008819:Mice, Nude; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D014616:Vaccinia virus / Q000276:immunology; D014916:Whole-Body Irradiation
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D015847:Interleukin-4