IL-4 and IL-4 receptor expression is dispensable for the development and function of natural killer T cells

• Published in: PloS one 2013-08, Vol.8 (8), p.e71872-e71872
• Main Authors: Sharma, Archna, Berga-Bolanos, Rosa, Sultana, Dil Afroz, Sen, Jyoti Misra
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aging; Animals; Antigens; Biology; CD4 antigen; Cell Differentiation - immunology; Cell Movement - immunology; Cell survival; Cells, Cultured; Cytokines; Flow Cytometry; Graphs; Helper cells; In vivo methods and tests; Inflammation; Interferon; Interferon-gamma - immunology; Interferon-gamma - metabolism; Interleukin; Interleukin 4; Interleukin-4 - deficiency; Interleukin-4 - genetics; Interleukin-4 - immunology; Leukemia; Lymphocyte Activation - immunology; Lymphocytes; Lymphocytes T; Maturation; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice, Knockout; Natural killer cells; Natural Killer T-Cells - immunology; Natural Killer T-Cells - metabolism; Promyeloid leukemia; Receptors, Cell Surface - deficiency; Receptors, Cell Surface - genetics; Receptors, Cell Surface - immunology; Rodents; Signal Transduction - genetics; Signal Transduction - immunology; Stimulation; T cell receptors; T-cell receptor; Thymocytes - cytology; Thymocytes - immunology; Thymocytes - metabolism; Thymus; Thymus Gland - cytology; Thymus Gland - immunology; Thymus Gland - metabolism; Transcription factors; Zinc; Zinc finger proteins; γ-Interferon
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0071872

CD4 T cells acquire functional properties including cytokine production upon antigenic stimulation through the T cell receptor (TCR) and differentiate into T helper (Th) cells. Th1 cells produce interferon (IFN)-γ and Th2 cells produce interleukin (IL)-4. Th1 and 2 cells utilize IFN-γ and IL-4 for further maturation and maintenance, respectively. Promyelocytic leukemia zinc finger (PLZF)-expressing invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells develop in the thymus and acquire functional ability to produce IL-4 and IFN-γ in the thymus in the absence of antigenic stimulation. In response to antigenic stimulation, iNKT cells rapidly produce IFN-γ and IL-4. However, it is still unknown as to whether iNKT cells require these cytokines for maturation or survival in vivo. In this study, using IL-4- and IL-4 receptor- (IL-4R) deficient mice, we demonstrate that IL-4 as well as IL-4R expression is dispensable for the development, function and maintenance of iNKT cells.