title: Role of IL-4 in aversion induced by food allergy in mice.
abstract: To ascertain the role of IL-4 in aversion to antigen induced by food allergy, wild type and IL-4 deficient BALB/c mice were sensitized with ovalbumin and challenged orally with egg white. Sensitized wild type mice had increased production of IL-4 by spleen and mesenteric lymph node cells in vitro, higher levels of serum anti-ovalbumin IgE and IgG1, aversion to ingestion of the antigen and loss of body weight after continuous oral challenge. Intestinal changes in wild type sensitized mice included eosinophil infiltration and increased mucus production. The IL-4 deficiency impaired the development of food allergy and the aversion to antigen, suggesting the involvement of the antigen specific antibodies. When IL-4 deficient mice received serum from sensitized wild type donors, the aversion was restored. These results indicate that production of IL-4 and specific IgE/IgG1 antibodies correlate with aversion to antigen induced by food allergy in mice.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Morfologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luana Pereira Antunes
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Dourado
authors.forename: Janaína Cláudia da Silva
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Saldanha
authors.forename: Daniela Longo
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Gargiulo
authors.forename: Maria de Lourdes Meirelles
authors.initials: Mde L
authors.lastname: Noviello
authors.forename: Cláudia Caldeira
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Brant
authors.forename: Maria Letícia Costa
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Reis
authors.forename: Raphaela Mendes Fernandes de
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.forename: Ana Maria Caetano
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Faria
authors.forename: Danielle da Glória de
authors.initials: Dda G
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.forename: Denise Carmona
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Cara
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D002645:Chickens; D004063:Digestion; D005260:Female; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000172:deficiency / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D010047:Ovalbumin