Requirement for IL-13 independently of IL-4 in experimental asthma

G Grunig, M Warnock, AE Wakil, R Venkayya… - Science, 1998 - science.org
G Grunig, M Warnock, AE Wakil, R Venkayya, F Brombacher, DM Rennick, D Sheppard…
Science, 1998science.org
The pathogenesis of asthma reflects, in part, the activity of T cell cytokines. Murine models
support participation of interleukin-4 (IL-4) and the IL-4 receptor in asthma. Selective
neutralization of IL-13, a cytokine related to IL-4 that also binds to the α chain of the IL-4
receptor, ameliorated the asthma phenotype, including airway hyperresponsiveness,
eosinophil recruitment, and mucus overproduction. Administration of either IL-13 or IL-4
conferred an asthma-like phenotype to nonimmunized T cell–deficient mice by an IL-4 …
The pathogenesis of asthma reflects, in part, the activity of T cell cytokines. Murine models support participation of interleukin-4 (IL-4) and the IL-4 receptor in asthma. Selective neutralization of IL-13, a cytokine related to IL-4 that also binds to the α chain of the IL-4 receptor, ameliorated the asthma phenotype, including airway hyperresponsiveness, eosinophil recruitment, and mucus overproduction. Administration of either IL-13 or IL-4 conferred an asthma-like phenotype to nonimmunized T cell–deficient mice by an IL-4 receptor α chain–dependent pathway. This pathway may underlie the genetic associations of asthma with both the human 5q31 locus and the IL-4 receptor.
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