Interleukin-4 up-regulates mouse mammary tumor virus expression yet is not required for in vivo virus spread.
The mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) superantigen induces T-cell production of cytokines, such as interleukin-4, which in turn increase MMTV transcription. However, interleukin-4 is not required for in vivo virus spread, because mice lacking interleukin-4 or the STAT6 transcription factor showed wild-type infection of lymphoid and mammary tissue. In spite of this, mammary tumor incidence was decreased in STAT6 null mice.
Czarneski
J
J
Department of Microbiology, Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-6142, USA.
Meyers
J
J
Peng
T
T
Abraham
V
V
Mick
R
R
Ross
S R
SR
D000818:Animals; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000502:physiology*; D008324:Mammary Tumor Virus, Mouse / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D050800:STAT6 Transcription Factor; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000502:physiology*
D050800:STAT6 Transcription Factor; C494100:Stat6 protein, mouse; D015534:Trans-Activators; D015847:Interleukin-4