Given the high level of IL-4 receptor alpha (IL-4Ra) in other human cancers and the tumor promoting effects of IL-4, the authors in the present study studied the presence and possible role of IL-4Ra in mesothelioma.
RT-PCR and immunohistochemical analysis confirmed the expression of IL-4Ra in human mesothelioma; strong expression of IL-4Ra correlated with poor survival in patients with epithelial histology following surgery.  Moreover, intracellular cytokine analysis of T cells demonstrated that the T cells are the potential source of IL-4.
Furthermore, IL-4 tested on four different mesothelioma cell lines induced an …