Strains of mice differ greatly in their capacity to produce interleukin (IL) 4 and high levels of serum IgE. The contribution of macrophages (M phi) in enhancing the production of IL4 by T cells in high-IgE responder mice was studied. M phi from BALB/c mice (high-IgE responder strain) developed an augmented capacity to present antigen to IL 4-producing T helper type 2 (Th2) clones, when the M phi were pretreated by exposure to the lymphokines IL 4 and IL 5. In contrast, identical treatment of M phi from H-2-identical DBA/2 mice (low-IgE responder strain) resulted in inhibition of the capacity to stimulate Th2 clones. The impairment of antigen presentation by DBA/2 M phi was closely paralleled by a decrease of cell surface class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) expression and an abrogation of IL 1 production by these cells, while identical treatment of BALB/c M phi enhanced class II MHC expression and did not inhibit secretion of IL 1. Our studies demonstrate that IL 4 and IL 5 can exert different effects on M phi from high- and low-IgE responder strains of mice, resulting in down-regulation of the expansion of IL 4-producing cells in low-but not high-IgE responder mice.