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In vivo treatment with anti‐interleukin‐13 antibodies significantly reduces the humoral immune response against an oral immunogen in mice
Author(s) -
BOST K. L.,
HOLTON R. H.,
CAIN T. KINCY,
CLEMENTS J. D.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.297
H-Index - 133
eISSN - 1365-2567
pISSN - 0019-2805
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2567.1996.502574.x
Subject(s) - immunogen , antibody , immune system , in vivo , biology , mesenteric lymph nodes , cytokine , immunology , humoral immunity , interleukin 10 , polyclonal antibodies , microbiology and biotechnology , monoclonal antibody
Interleukin‐13 (IL‐13) is a cytokine which significantly enhances the proliferation and differentiation of B lymphocytes. We therefore evaluated its role in the formation of a humoral immune response in vivo . Upon oral immunization with the B subunit of Escherichia coli heat‐labile enterotoxin (LT‐B), rapid up‐regulation of IL‐13 mRNA expression in the mesenteric lymph nodes of LT‐B intubated mice occurred. This result suggested that IL‐13 might be involved in the formation of a mucosal antibody response against LT‐B if this cytokine was in fact secreted. To test this possibility, the coding region for murine IL‐13 was cloned into the pFLAG‐1 expression vector. Recombinant murine IL‐13 was purified from bacterial lysates and used as an immunogen to produce polyclonal anti‐IL‐13 antibodies. Groups of BALB/c mice treated in vivo with anti‐IL‐13 antibody 2 days before and on the day of oral immunization with LT‐B had significantly reduced intestinal IgA and serum IgG and IgA anti‐LT‐B antibody responses when compared to mice treated with control antibody. Furthermore, groups of mice primed with LT‐B and then treated with anti‐IL‐13 antibody prior to oral immunization with a second dose of LT‐B also had significantly reduced intestinal IgA and serum IgG and IgA anti‐LT‐B antibody titres compared to controls. In vitro LT‐B restimulation experiments using splenic mononuclear leucocytes isolated from LT‐B primed mice treated with anti‐IL‐13 antibody demonstrated decreased expression of IL‐4 and IL‐13 mRNA and decreased IL‐4 secretion when compared to controls. Together these results demonstrate an important role for IL‐13 in the formation of a humoral immune response at mucosal surfaces.