IL-4 can inhibit IL-17 production in collagen induced arthritis.
BACKGROUND
IL-4 is a cytokine that induces differentiation of naive helper T cells into Th2 cells. Once activated by IL-4, Th2 cells subsequently produce additional IL-4.


OBJECTIVE
To examine the effect of IL-4 on IL-17 production and its effect in Collagen-Induced Arthritis (CIA) mice.


METHODS
In this study, a chicken collagen-II-induced experimental arthritis (CIA) model was used in DBA/1 mice to investigate the relationship between IL-4 and IL-17 as well as other inflammatory factors. On the 38th day after the mice were induced with CIA, the expression of IL-17 and IL-4 as well as IFN-γ and IL-13 in sera of the mice was measured by QRT-PCR and ELISA.


RESULTS
The result of QRT-PCR analysis of IL-17 and IL-4 mRNA levels in the spleen showed that IL-17 is increased significantly at the onset of CIA in the spleen (p<0.01). Meanwhile, IL-17 is generally reduced at the peak of CIA but IL-4 is increased significantly at this peak in the spleen when the weight of the animal was taken into consideration (p<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
IL-4 can be involved in the production of IL-17 at especially the peak of CIA. These results imply that the inhibition of IL-17 may decrease the expression of IL-1β and IL-6 production which will result in the aggravation of arthritis.
Department of Immunology, Center of Clinical Medicine and Laboratory, Azad Islamic University, Tabriz, Iran, e-mail: ahmadi1@usm.ac.ir.
Siamak
S
Sandoghchian Shotorbani
Yue
Y
Zhang
Samuel Essien
SE
Baidoo
Huaxi
H
Xu
Mohammad
M
Ahmadi
D000818:Animals; D001169:Arthritis, Experimental / Q000276:immunology*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000276:immunology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002645:Chickens / Q000276:immunology; D024043:Collagen Type II / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism*; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000378:metabolism*; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology
D024043:Collagen Type II; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D020381:Interleukin-17; D015847:Interleukin-4