SJL mice provide an interesting paradigm to examine the role(s) of APC in the differential induction of Th1 and Th2 cells. Immunization of young male SJL mice results in the preferential induction of Th2 cells, whereas Th1 cells are induced in age-matched female or older male SJL mice. The absence of Th1 responses in young male mice is associated with in vivo IL-4 and IL-10 down-regulating Mac-3+ APC priming of Th1 cells. The present report examines the mechanism of this APC-dependent induction of Th subsets. Examination of the surface expression of MHC class II, adhesion molecules (CD11a, CD11b, CD48, CD54, and CD102) or costimulatory molecules (CD24, CD80, and CD86) showed no differences between male- and female-derived Mac-3+ APC populations. In addition, no differences were detected in IL-1alpha, IL-1beta, IL-18, TNF-alpha, or IL-12 p35 mRNA expression. However, reduced expression of both IL-10 and IL-12 p40 mRNA were found in Mac-3+ cells from male mice compared with those in Mac-3+ cells from female mice. Anti-IL-4 or anti-IL-10 mAb treatment of young male donor mice eliminated the reduction of both IL-10 and IL-12 p40 mRNA, suggesting that the Th2 inducer phenotype is related to a decreased IL-12 secretion. Consistent with this idea, fewer IL-12 p40-secreting Mac-3+ cells were found in male mice compared with female mice, and treatment with rIL-12 resulted in the priming of Th1 cells in male mice. These data suggest that increased Th2 cytokines in vivo before encounter with Ag inhibit APC expression of IL-12, resulting in the preferential induction of Th2 cells in male SJL mice.