title: IL-4 suppresses cytokine gene expression induced by IFN-gamma and/or IL-2 in murine peritoneal macrophages.
abstract: The effect of IL-4 on inflammatory gene expression in murine peritoneal macrophages stimulated with IFN-gamma in combination with IL-2 has been examined. These agents cooperatively induce the expression of mRNA for TNF-alpha and IP-10. Murine rIL-4 suppresses cytokine mRNA expression depending on the stimulus used and the mRNA being measured. Expression of TNF-alpha mRNA in macrophages stimulated with IFN-gamma, IL-2, or the combination is markedly suppressed by IL-4 whereas LPS-induced TNF-alpha mRNA is unaffected. In contrast, IP-10 mRNA expression is more sensitive to suppression by IL-4 when stimulated by LPS than by IFN-gamma/IL-2. IL-4-mediated suppression does not alter the time course of mRNA expression. Treatment of IFN-gamma/IL-2-stimulated macrophages with cycloheximide blocks the suppressive effect of IL-4, suggesting that de novo synthesis of an intermediate protein is part of the suppressive mechanism. The IL-4-mediated suppression of IFN-gamma/IL-2-driven TNF-alpha gene expression appears to be mediated at the level of transcription. These findings support a role for IL-4 as an antiinflammatory cytokine and suggest that macrophage inflammatory function will be dependent on the precise stimulus composition of the tissue microenvironment.
authors.affiliation: Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, OH 44195.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gautam
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Tebo
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Hamilton
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001202:Ascitic Fluid / Q000166:cytology; D054357:Chemokine CXCL10; D019743:Chemokines, CXC; D003513:Cycloheximide / Q000494:pharmacology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics*; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D054357:Chemokine CXCL10; D019743:Chemokines, CXC; D016207:Cytokines; D007376:Interleukin-2; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D003513:Cycloheximide