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

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.