Biologic functions and signaling of the interleukin-4 receptor complexes.
IL-4 is a pleiotropic cytokine which plays a pivotal role in shaping immune responses. The effects of IL-4 are mediated after binding to high affinity receptor complexes present on hematopoietic as well as non-hematopoietic cells. This review will summarize the current knowledge on the molecular structure of the different types of IL-4 receptor (IL-4R) complexes as well as the signal transduction mechanisms induced by IL-4 leading to cellular proliferation and / or gene activation. IL-4 effects are modulated by soluble forms of the respective receptor molecules which are produced by several immune cells in a regulated manner. The biological impact of recently described IL-4R allotypes of mice and humans as well as the results of studies with IL-4R knockout mice will be particularly emphasized.
Gessner
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Institute of Clinical Microbiology, Immunology and Hygiene, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany. gessner@mikrobio.med.uni-erlangen.de
Röllinghoff
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D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D016185:Receptors, Interleukin-3 / Q000502:physiology; D019948:Receptors, Interleukin-4 / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*
D016185:Receptors, Interleukin-3; D019948:Receptors, Interleukin-4