IL-5-deficient mice have a developmental defect in CD5+ B-1 cells and lack eosinophilia but have normal antibody and cytotoxic T cell responses.
Mice deficient in interleukin-5 (IL-5-/- mice) were generated by gene targeting in embryonal stem cells. Contrary to previous studies, no obligatory role for IL-5 was demonstrated in the regulation of conventional B (B-2) cells, in normal T cell-dependent antibody responses or in cytotoxic T cell development. However, CD5+ B cells (B-1 cells) in the peritoneal cavity were reduced by 50%-80% in 2-week-old IL-5-/- mice, returning to normal by 6-8 weeks of age. The IL-5-/- mice did not develop blood and tissue eosinophilia when infected with the helminth Mesocestoides corti, but basal levels of eosinophils with normal morphology were produced in the absence of IL-5. IL-5 deficiency did not affect the worm burden of infected mice, indicating that increased eosinophils do not play a significant role in the host defence in this parasite model.
Kopf
M
M
Max Planck Institut für Immunbiologie, Freiburg, Federal Republic of Germany.
Brombacher
F
F
Hodgkin
P D
PD
Ramsay
A J
AJ
Milbourne
E A
EA
Dai
W J
WJ
Ovington
K S
KS
Behm
C A
CA
Köhler
G
G
Young
I G
IG
Matthaei
K I
KI
D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D018956:CD5 Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development / Q000276:immunology*; D004802:Eosinophilia / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology; D015848:Interleukin-5 / Q000172:deficiency*; D008645:Mesocestoides; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D018956:CD5 Antigens; D015848:Interleukin-5