title: Human interleukin 4 regulates the phenotype of lymphocytes generated during mixed lymphocyte culture and inhibits the IL-2-induced development of LAK function in normal and leukaemic cells.
abstract: This study examined the immunoregulatory role of recombinant interleukin 4 (IL-4), also known as B-cell stimulating factor 1, on the generation of cytotoxic effector cells from normal and leukaemic human blood mononuclear cells. When tested on cells from normal individuals, the addition of IL-4 to mixed lymphocyte cultures led to a dose-dependent proliferation of T-helper cells (CD3, 4 positive) with a concomitant decrease in phenotypic and functional cytotoxic T cells and natural killer (NK) cells. IL-4 also inhibited the interleukin-2 (IL-2)-induced generation of lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) activity when added at the beginning of mixed lymphocyte culture. When tested on mature leukaemic NK cells, IL-4 also inhibited the ability of IL-2 to induce LAK function using a short-term culture system. These results show that IL-4 acts on both normal and leukaemic cells and suggests that it acts at more than one level during the development of LAK function.
authors.affiliation: Division of Human Immunology, Institute of Medical and Veterinary Science, Adelaide, South Australia.
authors.forename: B Q
authors.initials: BQ
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Lopez
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gillis
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Juttner
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Vadas
authors.forename: G F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Burns
mesh_terms: D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000032:analysis; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / Q000187:drug effects*; D006131:Growth Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007378:Interleukins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D007938:Leukemia / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D007959:Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000032:analysis / Q000145:classification* / Q000187:drug effects; D010641:Phenotype; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D006131:Growth Inhibitors; D007376:Interleukin-2; D007378:Interleukins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D015847:Interleukin-4