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Interleukin 4
 
 
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Interleukin-4, abbreviated IL-4, is a cytokine
Cytokine

Cytokines are a category of signaling molecules that, like hormones and neurotransmitters, are used extensively in cell communication. They are proteins, peptides or glycoproteins....
 that induces differentiation of naive helper T cells (Th0 cells) to Th2 cells. Upon activation by IL-4, Th2 cells subsequently produce additional IL-4. The cell that initially produces IL-4, thus inducing Th0 differentiation, has not been identified.

Its receptor is the Interleukin-4 receptor
Interleukin-4 receptor

Interleukin 4 receptor is a type I cytokine receptor. IL4R is its human gene....
.








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Interleukin-4, abbreviated IL-4, is a cytokine
Cytokine

Cytokines are a category of signaling molecules that, like hormones and neurotransmitters, are used extensively in cell communication. They are proteins, peptides or glycoproteins....
 that induces differentiation of naive helper T cells (Th0 cells) to Th2 cells. Upon activation by IL-4, Th2 cells subsequently produce additional IL-4. The cell that initially produces IL-4, thus inducing Th0 differentiation, has not been identified.

Its receptor is the Interleukin-4 receptor
Interleukin-4 receptor

Interleukin 4 receptor is a type I cytokine receptor. IL4R is its human gene....
.

Functions

It has many biological roles, including the stimulation of activated B-cell and T-cell proliferation
Proliferation

The word proliferation can refer to:*Nuclear proliferation*Chemical weapon proliferation*Cell growth* The proliferative phase of wound healing...
, and the differentiation of CD4
CD4

CD4 is a glycoprotein expressed on the surface of T helper cells, regulatory T cells, monocytes, macrophages, and dendritic cells. It was discovered in the late 1970s and was originally known as leu-3 and T4 before being named CD4 in 1984....
+ T-cells into Th2 cells.

It is a key regulator in humoral
Humoral immunity

The Humoral Immune Response is the aspect of immunity that is mediated by secreted antibodies produced in the cells of the B lymphocyte lineage ....
 and adaptive immunity.

IL-4 induces B-cell class switching to IgE
IGE

IGE is one of the largest MMORPG services companies, with offices in Los Angeles, Miami, and China. IGE is one of the main players in virtual economy services, also known in the MMORPG industry as secondary market....
, and up-regulates MHC class II
MHC class II

MHC Class II molecules are found only on a few specialized cell types, including macrophages, dendritic cells and B cells, all of which are professional antigen-presenting cells ....
 production.

History

This cytokine was co-discovered by Maureen Howard and William Paul and by Dr. Ellen Vitetta
Ellen Vitetta

Ellen Vitetta is the director of the Cancer Immunobiology Center at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.Vitetta is an immunologist who does translational research....
 and her research group in 1982.

The nucleotide
Nucleotide

Nucleotides are molecules that comprise the structural units of RNA and DNA. Additionally, nucleotides play central roles in metabolism. In that capacity, they serve as sources of chemical energy , participate in cell signaling , and are incorporated into important cofactors of enzymatic reactions ....
 sequence for human IL-4 was isolated four years later confirming its similarity to a mouse protein called B-cell stimulatory factor-1 (BCSF-1).

See also

  • STAT6
    STAT6

    STAT6 is a human gene. The protein encoded by this gene is a member of the STAT protein of transcription factors.In response to cytokines and growth factors, STAT family members are phosphorylated by the receptor associated kinases, and then form homo- or heterodimers that translocate to the cell nucleus where they act as transcription act...


Further reading


External links

  • from Cornell University
    Cornell University

    Cornell University located in Ithaca, New York, USA, is a private university with four Statutory college. Its two medical campuses are in New York City and Education City, Qatar....
  • at Health On the Net Foundation
    Health On the Net Foundation

    Health On the Net Foundation is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1995 under the auspices of the Geneva Ministry of Health and based in Geneva,Switzerland....