IL-4 is a pleiotropic cytokine that is produced by activated T cells mast cells and basophils. IL-4 elicits many different biological responses, but has two dominant functions. The first is regulating differentiation of naïve CD4+ T cell to the Th2 type. Th2 cells produce IL-4, IL-5, IL-10 and IL-13, which tend to favor a humoral immune response while suppressing a cell-mediated immune response controlled by Th1 cells. The second is regulating IgE and IgG1 production by B cells. The 8D4-8 antibody can neutralize the bioactivity of natural or recombinant IL-4.