Effect of a monoclonal antibody against interleukin-4 on collagen-induced arthritis in mice.

1 The present study was undertaken to investigate the effect of a monoclonal antibody (11B11 mAb) against interleukin-4 (IL-4) on collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) in mice. 2 11B11 mAb was daily injected intraperitoneally over a period of 10 days, commencing on the day of immunization with type II collagen (CII). 3 The results showed that the anti-IL-4 mAb markedly augmented both the incidence and the severity of CIA. The augmentation of the disease was associated with a significant increase in anti-CII IgG2a antibody production, proliferative responses of lymph node cells to CII and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) secretion from the lymphoid cells. The production of anti-CII IgG1 antibodies the secretion of IL-4 was markedly reduced in the mAb-treated mice. 4 Thus, the neutralization of IL-4 by 11B11 mAb appears to be effective in augmenting CIA.