Susceptibility to Leishmania major infection in interleukin-4-deficient mice.
Interleukin-4 (IL-4), a pleiotropic cytokine, is a major regulator of the immune system and is considered crucial for the development of T helper cell type 2 (TH2) responses. The susceptibility of BALB/c mice to infection with Leishmania major has been associated with a polarized TH2 response and an inability to down-modulate IL-4 production. The role of IL-4 in vivo was examined directly by disrupting the IL-4 gene in BALB/c embryonic stem cells. Despite the absence of IL-4, the genetically pure BALB/c mutant mice remained susceptible to L. major infection, showed no signs of lesion healing or parasite clearance, and did not switch to a TH1 phenotype.
Noben-Trauth
N
N
Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, USA.
Kropf
P
P
Müller
I
I
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D016207:Cytokines / Q000032:analysis; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D018320:Leishmania major / Q000276:immunology*; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology*
D016207:Cytokines; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D007371:Interferon-gamma