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A study on page 1899 may explain the seemingly fickle ways of the cytokine interleukin (IL)-4. Yao and colleagues show how this quintessential T helper (Th) 2 cytokine can sometimes promote the opposite Th1 response.

The prototypic Th2 cytokine IL-4 inhibits IL-10 production by DCs, thereby increasing the production of the Th1-promoting cytokine IL-12.

IL-4 is known as the key cytokine for polarizing naive T cells toward a Th2 phenotype, which is important for antibody production and protection against parasitic infections. Under some conditions, however, IL-4 has been shown to instead induce a Th1 response. Indeed, a recent study showed that mice treated with IL-4 during initial infection with Leishmania major had increased Th1 responses and were protected. If given later, IL-4 increased Th2 responses and exacerbated disease.

Yao et al. now suggest that the regulation of another cytokine—IL-10—may explain these perplexing observations. They show that dendritic cells (DCs) stimulated in the presence of IL-4 made less IL-10 than those stimulated without IL-4. As a result, the IL-4–treated DCs produced more of the Th1-polarizing cytokine IL-12—known to be inhibited by IL-10—and polarized naive T cells toward a Th1 phenotype more effectively. IL-10 was critical for the increased Th1 response, as IL-4 did not increase IL-12 production or T cell polarization by IL-10–deficient DCs.

IL-4 had the opposite effect on B cells, provoking increased IL-10 production. The authors suggest that the differential effect of IL-4 at different times during infection may reflect a switch from DCs to B cells as the predominant cell type that is presenting antigen.

hvanepps{at}rockefeller.edu

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Interleukin (IL)-4 inhibits IL-10 to promote IL-12 production by dendritic cells

Yongxue Yao, Wei Li, Mark H. Kaplan, and Cheong-Hee Chang
J. Exp. Med. 2005 201: 1899-1903. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

This Article Full Text (PDF, 792K) PPT slides of all figures Alert me when this article is cited Services Email this article Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new content in the JEM Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Van Epps, H. L. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Van Epps, H. L. Related Collections Related Article Social Bookmarking                            What's this?