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Differential requirements for IL‐4/STAT6 signalling in CD4 T‐cell fate determination and Th2‐immune effector responses
Author(s) -
Forbes Elizabeth,
Panhuys Nicholas,
Min Booki,
Le Gros Graham
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
immunology and cell biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.999
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1440-1711
pISSN - 0818-9641
DOI - 10.1038/icb.2009.101
Subject(s) - effector , immune system , signalling , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , cytokine , immunology , interleukin 4 , lymph node , stat6
Improved analytical tools have revealed that the development and expression of a Th2 immune response can be broken down into distinct stages with respect to the cytokine microenvironment that is required. Although IL‐4 and its STAT6‐signalling pathway are critical for the expression of Th2 effector immune responses in peripheral tissues such as the skin, lung and gut, IL‐4 and STAT6 signalling are not required for the initial generation of IL‐4‐producing Th2 cells in the lymph node. This finding reveals that we have yet to identify the key cytokine or microenvironment that stimulates the development of this most intriguing CD4 + T‐helper subset and emphasises the tissue specificity and timing of IL‐4/STAT6‐dependent Th2 effector responses.