REGULAR ARTICLES
Cell Research (1998)8:295-302
© 1998 SIBS, CAS All rights reserved 1001-0602/98
The kinetics of IL-4 and IFN-gamma gene expression in mice after
Trichosansin immunization.
Yang CH, Ji YY, Yeh M.
Shanghai Institute of Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Science, China
Trichosanthin (TCS) is a potent allergen to mice. According to our previous
experiments, it could bring out the IgE response to ovabumin (OVA) if TCS
was given one day before OVA immunization, while OVA alone could not induce
IgE to it. In this work, the kinetics of interleukin 4(IL-4) and interferon
gamma(IFN-gamma) gene expression in the mesenteric lymph node (MLN) of TCS-immunized
mice was investigated using a semi-quantitative RT-PCR method. It indicated
that TCS induced significant IL-4 gene expression and the peaks of IL4 gene
expression were on day one after TCS immunization in both primary and secondary
response. In contrast, the IFN-gamma gene expression was suppressed. Furthermore,
the IL-4 gene expression in the secondary response was lower than that in
the primary response. Thus the presence of IgE memory B cells were studied.
Results showed that the amount of mature IgE mRNA arose significantly and
rapidly one day after TCS restimulation, while in the MLN of the mice primed
30 days before and without boost, it was almost as the same amount of the
unimmunized control. These findings suggest the existence of the IgE memory
B cells in the mice after the primary TCS immunization.
Keywords : Trichosanthin,
IL-4, IFN-r, IgE. |
