Journal Article

Unique functions of the type II interleukin 4 receptor identified in mice lacking the interleukin 13 receptor α1 chain

Ramalingam, Thirumalai R, Murphy, Andrew J, Urban, Joseph F. Jr, Sheikh, Faruk, Pesce, John T, Wynn, Thomas A, Stevens, Sean, Cheever, Allen W, Donnelly, Raymond P, Valenzuela, David M, Yancopoulos, George D, Wilson, Mark S, Mentink-Kane, Margaret M

2008

Overview

The interleukin 4 receptor (IL-4R) is a central mediator of T helper type 2 (TH2-mediated disease and associates with either the common γ-chain to form the type I IL-4R or with the IL-13R α1 chain (IL-13Rα1) to form the type II IL-4R. Here we used Il13ra1- /- mice to characterize the distinct functions of type I and type II IL-4 receptors in vivo. In contrast to Il4ra- /- mice, which have weak TH2 responses, Il13ra1- /- mice had exacerbated TH2 responses. Il13ra1- /- mice showed much less mortality after infection with Schistosoma mansoni and much more susceptibility to Nippostrongylus brasiliensis. IL-13Rα1 was essential for allergen-induced airway hyperreactivity and mucus hypersecretion but not for fibroblast or alternative macrophage activation. Thus, type I and II IL-4 receptors exert distinct effects on immune responses.

• Publisher: Nature Publishing Group US,Nature Publishing Group
• Subject: animal disease models / asthma / Biomedical and Life Sciences / Biomedicine / bronchial hyperreactivity / CD4-positive T-lymphocytes / Cell receptors / gene expression regulation / Health aspects / helper-inducer T-lymphocytes / hypersecretion / Immune response / Immunology / Infectious Diseases / interleukin-13 / interleukin-4 / Interleukins / knockout mutants / macrophages / mice / mortality / Nippostrongylus brasiliensis / Physiological aspects / Properties / receptors / respiratory tract diseases / Schistosoma mansoni / schistosomiasis / signal transduction