| First Author | Ho IC | Year | 1999 |
| Journal | Int Immunol | Volume | 11 |
| Issue | 2 | Pages | 243-7 |
| PubMed ID | 10069422 | Mgi Jnum | J:53107 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:1331292 | Doi | 10.1093/intimm/11.2.243 |
| Citation | Ho IC, et al. (1999) Marking IL-4-producing cells by knock-in of the IL-4 gene. Int Immunol 11(2):243-7 |
| abstractText | IL-4 is a cytokine which can be expressed by a number of cell types including Th2 cells, mast cells and a population of CD4+ NK1.1+ NK T cells. Although phenotypic markers exist for identifying each of these cell types, there is at present no known cell surface marker common to all IL-4-producing cells. Using gene targeting in embryonic stem cells, we have modified the IL-4 locus by knock-in of a transmembrane domain to generate mice that express a membrane-bound form of IL-4 (mIL-4). Flow cytometry using an IL-4-specific mAb allowed the detection of IL-secreting Th2 cells, mast cells and NK T cells from mIL-4 mice. Furthermore, the analysis of immune responses in mIL-4 mice following immunization with anti-CD3 and anti-IgD has allowed us to identify distinct subpopulations of IL-4-producing NK T cells. Thus, the expression of IL-4 in a membrane-bound form provides a novel method for the identification and characterization of IL-4-producing cells. |
