The distribution of IL-13 receptor α1 expression on B cells, T cells and monocytes and its regulation by IL-13 and IL-4

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Abstract
To study the expression of IL‐13 receptor α1 (IL‐13Rα1), specific monoclonal antibodies (mAb) were generated. Surface expression of the IL‐13Rα1 on B cells, monocytes and T cells was assessed by flow cytometry using these specific mAb. Among tonsillar B cells, the expression was the highest on the IgD+ CD38− B cell subpopulation which is believed to represent naive B cells. Expression was also detectable on a large fraction of the IgD−CD38− B cells but not on CD38+ B cells. Activation under conditions which promote B cell Ig class switching up‐regulated the expression of the receptor. However, the same stimuli had an opposite effect for IL‐13Rα1 expression levels on monocytes. While IL‐13Rα1 mRNA was clearly detectable in T cell preparations, no surface expression was detected. However, permeabilization of the T cells showed a clear intracellular expression of the receptor. A soluble form of the receptor was immunoprecipitated from the supernatant of activated peripheral T cells, suggesting that T cell IL‐13Rα1 might have functions unrelated to the capacity to form a type II IL‐4 / IL‐13R with IL‐4Rα.