Molecular group:
Cytokines and receptors
Molecule/Cell:
IL-4
Plasmodium strain:
Plasmodium chabaudi chabaudi AS
pRBC infection titer:
10^5
Mouse genetic background (Con):
129/Sv x C57BL/6
Level of backcrossing:
Mixed background (50%)
Experimental treatment group (EG):
IL-4 -/-
Lethal infection (Con):
no
Lethal infection (EG):
no
Pathology (Con):
N.I.
Pathology (EG):
N.I.
Parasitemia (EG vs Con):
Increased recrudescences
Additional phenotypes (EG vs Con):
Similar IFN-g, IL-5 and ↑ IL-12 mRNA expression in spleen cells; ↓ IL-6 mRNA expression in spleen cells; similar IFN-g, IL-2, IL-10 and ↓ IL-5 and IL-6 (both only after 1 week) mRNA expression by splenic CD4+ T cells; prolonged IFN-g production by splenic CD4+ T cells (delayed switch from a Th1 to a Th2 phenotype); ↓ parasite-specific IgG1 and similar IgG2a/b production by CD4+ T cells after co-incubation with WT-derived B cells; ↓total serum IgG1, ↑ IgG2b and similar IgM, IgG2a and IgG3 1 and 6 week p.i.; ↓ total serum IgE (not detectable in uninfected KO mice); ↓ serum parasite-specific IgG1 4-6 weeks p.i.; earlier ↑ of serum parasite-specific IgG2b; ↑ serum parasite-specific IgG2a 2 weeks p.i.; similar serum parasite-specific IgM and IgG3 (IgE not detectable)
Refs:
Von der Weid et al., 1994, Eur J Immunol
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