IL-4

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