title: Generation of interleukin 4 (IL-4)-producing cells in vivo and in vitro: IL-2 and IL-4 are required for in vitro generation of IL-4-producing cells.
abstract: T cell populations derived from naive mice produce very small amounts of interleukin 4 (IL-4) in response to stimulation on anti-CD3-coated dishes. IL-4 production by such cells is mainly found among large- and intermediate-sized T cells and is dependent upon IL-2. Injection of anti-IgD into mice, a stimulus that leads to striking increases in serum levels of IgG1 and IgE, causes a striking increase in the IL-4-producing capacity of T cells. This increase is first observed 4 d after injection of anti-IgD. IL-4 production by T cells from anti-IgD-injected donors is mainly found among large- and intermediate-sized T cells. Small, dense T cells are poor producers of IL-4. The capacity of T cells from anti-IgD-injected donors to produce IL-4 is enhanced by addition of IL-2 and is largely, but not completely, inhibited by neutralization of in situ produced IL-2. These results indicate that the control of IL-4 production in T cells from naive and anti-IgD-injected donors is similar. However, it is possible that a portion of the IL-4-producing activity of T cells from activated donors is IL-2 independent. Although small T cells from naive donors have a very limited capacity to produce IL-4 in response to stimulation with anti-CD3, even in the presence of added IL-2, they can give rise to IL-4-producing cells upon in vitro culture on plates coated with anti-CD3 if both IL-2 and IL-4 are added. This leads to the appearance of IL-4-producing cells within 2 d. When analyzed after 5 d of culture by harvesting and re-exposure to anti-CD3-coated culture wells and IL-2, these cells have increased their IL-4-producing capacity by approximately 100-fold. The development of IL-4-producing cells in response to anti-CD3, IL-2, and IL-4 is not inhibited by interferon gamma (IFN-gamma), nor does IFN-gamma diminish IL-4 production by these cells upon challenge with anti-CD3 plus IL-2.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Immunology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Le Gros
authors.forename: S Z
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Ben-Sasson
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Seder
authors.forename: F D
authors.initials: FD
authors.lastname: Finkelman
authors.forename: W E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Paul
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004261:DNA Replication; D005260:Female; D007072:Immunoglobulin D / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007700:Kinetics; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D007072:Immunoglobulin D; D007376:Interleukin-2; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma