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Published on: October 16, 2013
Interleukin-4 regulates the interleukin-2 receptors on human peripheral blood B lymphocytes
K Tomizawa1, A Ishizaka, K Kojima
1Department of Paediatrics, Hokkaido University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan.
Insights
Interleukin-4 (IL-4) significantly alters the interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2R) on B cells by increasing the p55 subunit and decreasing the p70-75 subunit. Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) counteracts these IL-4 effects, influencing B cell responses.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- The interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2R) is crucial for immune responses.
- IL-2R comprises p55 and p70-75 subunits with varying affinities for IL-2.
- B lymphocytes express IL-2R, but its regulation by cytokines is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of cytokines on IL-2R subunit expression in human peripheral blood B lymphocytes.
- To determine the specific roles of interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) in regulating IL-2R on B cells.
Main Methods:
- Utilized two-colour flow cytometry with monoclonal antibodies.
- Analyzed IL-2R p55 and p70-75 subunit expression on CD20+ B cells.
- Incubated B cells with various cytokines, including IL-4 and IFN-gamma, for 2 days.
Main Results:
- Freshly isolated B cells showed low p55 (7.0%) and high p70-75 (89.0%) IL-2R subunit expression.
- IL-4 markedly induced p55 and suppressed p70-75 IL-2R subunit expression in a dose-dependent manner.
- IFN-gamma inhibited the regulatory effects of IL-4 on both IL-2R subunits.
Conclusions:
- IL-4 plays a significant role in modulating B cell responses via IL-2R regulation.
- IFN-gamma acts antagonistically to IL-4 in controlling IL-2R expression on B cells.
- These findings highlight cytokine-mediated plasticity of the IL-2R in B lymphocytes.
Abstract:
The high-affinity interleukin-2 (IL-2) receptor (IL-2R) consists of the non-covalent association of at least two subunits, p55 and p70-75, capable of binding IL-2 with low and intermediate affinity, respectively. We studied the effects of cytokines on the IL-2R expressed on human peripheral blood B lymphocytes using monoclonal antibodies specific for IL-2R p55 and IL-2R p70-75, by means of two-colour flow cytometric analysis. In freshly isolated peripheral blood B lymphocytes, the p55 subunit was expressed only in a small population (7.0% of CD20+ cells), whereas the p70-75 subunit was expressed in a large population (89.0% of CD20+ cells). Of the cytokines studied, interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) were involved in the regulation of IL-2R on B cells. After a 2-day incubation with IL-4, expression of IL-2R p55 was markedly induced, but expression of IL2-R p70-75 was profoundly suppressed in a dose-dependent manner. These abilities of IL-4 to promote IL-2R p55 expression and suppress IL-2R p70-75 expression were inhibited by the presence of IFN-gamma. Other cytokines, including IL-1, IL-2, IL-5, and IL-6, had little effect on the expression of these two subunits. These findings suggest that IL-4 is a cytokine modulating B cell response through the regulation of IL-2R.
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