title: Increase of precursor frequency and clonal size of murine IgE-secreting cells by IL-4.
abstract: IL-4 is able to preferentially enhance murine IgE levels in the supernatant of LPS-stimulated T cell-depleted splenic B cell cultures. Clonal and quantitative analysis of this response revealed that this is due partly to a 14-fold increased IgE precursor frequency and partly to a three-fold increased clone size of IgE-secreting cells. IL-4 increased the precursor frequency and the clone size of IgM-secreting cells not more than twofold. Both the IgM and IgE response in LPS-stimulated B cells were completely inhibited by the addition of anti-IgM mAb (M41) to the cultures, indicating that the IgE-secreting clones developed as subclones from precursors that express IgM. These cells lacked expression of membrane-bound IgE up to day 5 of the culture. Application of feeder cells in these cultures resulted in an increased precursor frequency of IgE-secreting clones among LPS-reactive B cells that is due, partially, to IL-4 produced by the feeder cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: H F
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Savelkoul
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Lebman
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Benner
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Coffman
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic / Q000502:physiology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D001667:Binding, Competitive; D002999:Clone Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006462:Hemolytic Plaque Technique; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007378:Interleukins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007700:Kinetics; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D007378:Interleukins; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; C044203:anti-IgM; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007073:Immunoglobulin E