Development and proliferation of lymphocytes in mice deficient for both interleukins‐2 and ‐4

Abstract

Interleukin (IL)‐2 and IL‐4 are considered as important regulators of growth and differentiation of lymphocytes. We report that in mice made deficient for both IL‐2 and IL‐4 by gene targeting all major T cell subsets and B cells were normal, indicating that IL‐2 and IL‐4 are not essential for development of the immune system. Paradoxically, proliferation of T cells was increased in both IL‐2‐ and IL‐4‐deficient homozygous mice.