The Hunt for the Source of Primary Interleukin-4: How We Discovered That Natural Killer T Cells and Basophils Determine T Helper Type 2 Cell Differentiation In Vivo

Interleukin (IL)-4 plays a central role in determining the phenotype of naïve CD4+ T cells by promoting their differentiation into IL-4-producing T helper type 2 (Th2) cells, which are crucial for the induction of allergic inflammation. However, to date, the potential sources of “primary IL-4” in vi...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Tomohiro Yoshimoto
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2018-04-01
Series:Frontiers in Immunology
Subjects:
Online Access:http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fimmu.2018.00716/full
Description
Summary:Interleukin (IL)-4 plays a central role in determining the phenotype of naïve CD4+ T cells by promoting their differentiation into IL-4-producing T helper type 2 (Th2) cells, which are crucial for the induction of allergic inflammation. However, to date, the potential sources of “primary IL-4” in vivo, as distinguished from IL-4 produced by Th2 cells, remain unclear. Here, I describe the research I carried out in collaboration with Dr. William E. Paul to identify “primary IL-4”-producing cells and Th2 cell differentiation in vivo.
ISSN:1664-3224