Alternative Splicing of Murine Interleukin-4 mRNA

We found an alternative form of mRNA with spliced second exon (IL-4delta2 mRNA) in mouse bone marrow and splenic cells. At rest, the amount of IL-4 mRNA markedly surpassed that of IL-4delta2 mRNA. Stimulation increased the content of both mRNA forms, but the alternative variant is accumulated more intensively and rapidly. We did not detect predominance of IL-4delta2 mRNA over full-length mRNA variant in the studied mouse tissues.