Figure 1.

Induction of IL-9 specific autoantibodies. (A) Vaccination against IL-9. Groups of four C57BL/6 mice were injected subcutaneously with IL-9-OVA complexes in CFA (IL-9-OVA), with noncomplexed IL-9 and OVA (IL-9 + OVA) or with CFA alone (CFA). Boosts were carried out in IFA after 2 and 4 wk. Serially diluted sera, collected 2 wk after the last immunization, were tested for IL-9 inhibition in a TS1 cell proliferation assay. Cell growth was evaluated by measuring hexosaminidase activity. Means ± SD are indicated. (B) Specificity of anti-IL-9 activity. Pools of 1/320 diluted sera from immunized (IL-9-OVA) or control (CFA) mice were tested for growth inhibition of TS1 cells, in the presence of either natural mIL-9, baculovirus-derived mIL-9 (rec.), or mIL-4. Cell proliferation was measured after 3 days of culture. Results are given as means ± SD.