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Updated: Aug 25, 2026
Murine Model of Epicutaneously-Induced Immunomodulation
Published on: June 24, 2025
Plasmid encoding interleukin-4 in the amelioration of murine collagen-induced arthritis
Yasunori Kageyama1, Yukio Koide, Masashi Uchijima
1Departmentof Orthopaedic Surgery, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan. Tsukatonpipi@nifty.com
Objective:
To evaluate the therapeutic effect of the administration of plasmid encoding interleukin-4 (IL-4) via gene-gun delivery and via intradermal injection on collagen-induced arthritis (CIA).
Methods:
IL-4 plasmid was administered by gene-gun delivery and intradermal injection to DBA/1 mice immunized with type II collagen (CII). The therapeutic effect on the development of CIA was evaluated clinically with a visual scoring method for arthritis and serologically by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and polymerase chain reaction.
Results:
Treatment with IL-4-expressing plasmid significantly reduced the incidence and severity of CIA, including a reduction in the anti-CII antibody level. In particular, gene-gun delivery had a higher immunosuppressive effect on CIA compared with intradermal injection. As shown by in vitro stimulation assay, the spleen cells from mice immunized with CII and treated with IL-4 plasmid via gene gun exhibited higher Th2 cytokine responses compared with cells treated with control plasmid after in vitro stimulation with CII.
Conclusion:
The results of this study suggest that treatment with IL-4 plasmid may constitute a new clinical use of cytokine gene therapy for rheumatoid arthritis.
