Question:medium
Which interleukin is responsible for class switching of B cells to produce IgE?
Which interleukin is responsible for class switching of B cells to produce IgE?
Show Hint
Think the master Th2 cytokine that drives allergic responses and the epsilon class switch.
Updated On: Jun 23, 2026
- IL-1
- IL-3
- IL-4
- Both IL-1 and IL-3
Show Solution
The Correct Option is C
Solution and Explanation
Th-subset approach. Tie each immunoglobulin switch to its cytokine. IgE is the allergy and anti-helminth antibody, and it is made when Th2 cells release IL-4, the master switch cytokine that flips the B-cell heavy chain to the epsilon isotype; IL-13 helps, while Th1 interferon-gamma actively suppresses IgE. Now eliminate: IL-1 is an acute-phase, fever-inducing cytokine from macrophages with no role in isotype switching, and IL-3 is a haematopoietic growth factor that expands stem cells and mast-cell precursors rather than switching antibody class. Because IL-1 has no switching role, the combination option (both IL-1 and IL-3) is also wrong. The one cytokine that turns B cells into IgE producers is IL-4. Answer: IL-4.
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