Switch to
| Predicate | Object |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| lifeskim:mentions | |
| pubmed:issue |
5
|
| pubmed:dateCreated |
1990-7-13
|
| pubmed:abstractText |
Since its discovery in 1982, numerous biological activities of interleukin-4 (IL-4) have been described. Like other cytokines, IL-4 is highly pleiotropic, both with respect to the number of different target cells that are responsive to it and with respect to the number of different biological responses it elicits. Interleukin-4 was initially described as a costimulant for the proliferation of B lymphocytes stimulated with anti-IgM antibody. Synonyms for this cytokine are B cell growth factor-1 (BCGF-1) and B cell stimulatory factor-1 (BSF-1). After cloning of both the murine and human IL-4, the use of recombinant IL-4 enabled detailed studies of its biological functions. Many cell types, mainly of hematological origin, express receptors for IL-4. Accordingly, effects of IL-4 have been described on B lymphocytes, T lymphocytes, NK cells, mononuclear phagocytes, mast cells, fibroblasts and hematopoietic progenitor cells. Currently, there are three major areas in which IL-4 appears to play an important role: 1) regulation of B cell growth and of antibody isotype expression. In this context, a possible role for IL-4 in allergic reactions is of special interest. 2) Stimulation of T cell growth and the generation of cytotoxic T lymphocytes. In addition to the suppressive effects on the induction of non HLA-restricted cellular cytotoxicity by natural killer- (NK) and lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells, this suggests a role for IL-4 in the regulation of cellular immune responses. 3) Regulation of the growth and differentiation of hematopoietic bone marrow stem cells. IL-4 itself does not induce proliferation of hematological progenitor cells but it can modulate the growth-factor dependent proliferation of these cells. In this review the biological functions of IL-4, reported until present, are discussed.
|
| pubmed:language |
eng
|
| pubmed:journal | |
| pubmed:citationSubset |
IM
|
| pubmed:chemical | |
| pubmed:status |
MEDLINE
|
| pubmed:month |
May
|
| pubmed:issn |
0006-5242
|
| pubmed:author | |
| pubmed:issnType |
Print
|
| pubmed:volume |
60
|
| pubmed:owner |
NLM
|
| pubmed:authorsComplete |
Y
|
| pubmed:pagination |
269-74
|
| pubmed:dateRevised |
2006-11-15
|
| pubmed:meshHeading | |
| pubmed:year |
1990
|
| pubmed:articleTitle |
Interleukin-4. A regulatory protein.
|
| pubmed:affiliation |
Laboratory for Experimental Hematology, Leiden University Medical Center, The Netherlands.
|
| pubmed:publicationType |
Journal Article,
Review,
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
|