title: Probabilistic regulation of IL-4 production.
abstract: Among a population of uniformly differentiated TH(2) cells, only a portion express IL-4 upon stimulation and those that do often express the product of only a single allele. We review the evidence for the basis of IL-4 monoallelism and argue that it depends upon probabilistic expression of the Il4 gene. Further, we argue that probabilistic expression may provide a powerful mechanism through which certain key functions of IL-4, such as immunoglobulin class switching and determination of macrophage phenotype, may be efficiently regulated.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Immunology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland.
authors.forename: Liying
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hu-Li
authors.forename: William E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Paul
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D011336:Probability; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D015847:Interleukin-4