Quantitative differences in interleukin-2 and interleukin-4 production by antigen-stimulated splenocytes from individually- and group-housed mice.
The effects of differential housing on T-helper (TH) cell activation were investigated. BALB/c and C57Bl/6 male mice housed 1 or 4 per cage were administered three i.p. injections of keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) over several weeks. Effects of differential housing on in vitro antigen-specific interleukin (IL)-2 (a TH1 cell derived cytokine) and IL-4 (a TH2 cell derived cytokine) production were observed. BALB/c mice housed alone produced significantly more IL-4 than BALB/c mice housed in groups. C57Bl/6 mice housed alone produced significantly more IL-2 than C57Bl/6 mice housed in groups. Differential housing did not influence either IL-2 production among BALB/c mice or IL-4 production among C57Bl/6 mice. These data demonstrate that environmental conditions can influence cytokine production by both TH-1 dominant (C57Bl/6) and TH-2 dominant (BALB/c) mice.
Karp
J D
JD
Center for Psychoneuroimmunology Research, University of Rochester Medical Center, NY 14642.
Cohen
N
N
Moynihan
J A
JA
D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens; D006433:Hemocyanins; D006799:Housing, Animal; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D012919:Social Behavior; D012934:Social Isolation; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology*
D000941:Antigens; D007376:Interleukin-2; D015847:Interleukin-4; D006433:Hemocyanins; C032808:keyhole-limpet hemocyanin