Interleukin 4-mediated induction of CD4+/CD8+ T cells during infancy. |
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Authors: | M Ebisawa D C Reason H Saito S Nakano K Seo K Kawamura Y Iikura |
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Affiliation: | Division of Allergy, National Children's Medical Research Center, Tokyo, Japan. |
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Abstract: | Neonatal human CD4+ T cells will co-express CD8 on their surface following short-term culture with interleukin 4 (IL-4). Adult T cells do not respond in this manner. In this study we examine this phenomenon as a function of age and determine that IL-4 responsiveness decreases with time to approach adult levels at about 2 years. This phenomenon may be relevant to the documented ability of neonatal CD4+ T cells to function as suppressors. |
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