Recombinant soluble murine IL-4 receptor can inhibit or enhance IgE responses in vivo.

This study examines the effects of soluble IL-4R (sIL-4R) administration on IgE production in vivo by using an anti-IgD injection model. Anti-IgD-treated mice were given various doses of sIL-4R or anti-IL-4 mAb over a 3-day period and serum IgE levels were determined by ELISA on day 9. The sIL-4R inhibited IgE production by up to 85%. Anti-IL-4 mAb administration resulted in comparable levels of inhibition at considerably lower doses. The disparity in efficacy between sIL-4R and anti-IL-4 mAb was likely the result of differences in the biodistribution and in vivo half-life of the two IL-4-binding proteins. The specificity of the sIL-4R inhibitory effect was assessed by mixing sIL-4R with various concentrations of IL-4 before injection. Exogenous IL-4 partially overcame the inhibitory effect of high-dose sIL-4R or anti-IL-4 mAb. Unexpectedly, coadministration of suboptimal concentrations of anti-IL-4 mAb or sIL-4R with IL-4 resulted in superinduction of the IgE response. This stimulatory effect was dose dependent for both IL-4 and the IL-4 cognates and was not seen in the absence of exogenous IL-4 over the entire concentration range tested for either sIL-4R or anti-IL mAb. The results indicate that sIL-4R can block IgE secretion by neutralizing endogenous IL-4. Furthermore, sIL-4R can enhance, in a dose-dependent manner, the biologic effects of exogenously administered IL-4, presumably by altering the biodistribution of the cytokine. These findings suggest two alternative applications for cytokine-binding proteins, i.e., 1) as antagonists of biologic activities of endogenously produced cytokines and, 2) as vehicles for cytokine delivery.