IL-4 and IL-4 Receptor Expression Is Dispensable for the Development and Function of Natural Killer T Cells: e71872

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)- gamma and Th2 cells produce interleukin (IL)-4. Th1 and 2 cells utilize IFN- gamma and...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:PloS one 2013-08, Vol.8 (8)
Main Authors: Sharma, Archna, Berga-Bolanos, Rosa, Sultana, Dil Afroz, Sen, Jyoti Misra
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
CD4 antigen
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Summary: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)- gamma and Th2 cells produce interleukin (IL)-4. Th1 and 2 cells utilize IFN- gamma 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- gamma in the thymus in the absence of antigenic stimulation. In response to antigenic stimulation, iNKT cells rapidly produce IFN- gamma 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.
ISSN:1932-6203
DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0071872