However, considering that the impact of IL-4-mediated DC instruction was most pronounced in the susceptible BALB/c background in response to more virulent and less virulent strains of parasites, the role of early IL-4 signaling on keratinocytes needs to be investigated on a nonhealer BALB/c genetic background during cutaneous leishmaniasis to fully elucidate effector immune responses in response to infection with more virulent and less virulent L. major strains. Here, IL4 is linked to cutaneous leishmaniasis.