title: Inhibitory effect of murine recombinant IL-4 on thymocyte development in fetal thymus organ cultures.
abstract: The effect of rIL-4 on early T cell development in fetal thymus organ culture was studied by two-color immunofluorescence and by proliferation assays. Addition of IL-4 to an organ culture of 14-day-old fetal BALB/c thymus resulted in a decreased cell yield (less than 15% as compared to the control culture) and in a complete inhibition of CD4+CD8+ thymocytes after 12 days of culture. This IL-4 effect was time dependent as shorter times (less than 6 days) resulted in a thymic development comparable to the untreated control. When thymuses at later stages of gestation were treated with IL-4, the inhibition was less pronounced. The inhibitory activity of IL-4 was abrogated by the anti-IL-4 mAb 11B11, ruling out the possibility of a contaminant. Organ cultured 14-day-old fetal thymocytes treated with IL-4 during 12 days responded vigorously to IL-2 alone and to IL-4 + PMA + ionomycin. Taken together, these results indicate that IL-4 affects the intrathymic T cell development at an early stage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bacteriology, Virology and Immunology, University Hospital Gent, Belgium.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Plum
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Smedt
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Leclercq
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tison
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000032:analysis; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000032:analysis; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D005333:Fetus; D005865:Gestational Age; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015759:Ionomycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000032:analysis; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D015847:Interleukin-4; D015759:Ionomycin; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate