Interleukin-10 (IL-10) inhibits the induction of nitric oxide synthase by interferon-gamma in murine macrophages.
A murine macrophage cell line, J774, expresses high levels of the enzyme nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and produces large amounts of nitric oxide (NO) when activated with recombinant interferon (IFN)-gamma and a low concentration of LPS (10 ng/ml). Both the expression of NOS and the production of NO were inhibited by recombinant IL-10 in a dose-dependent manner. The inhibition was effective only when the cells were pretreated with IL-10; addition of IL-10 at the same time or after IFN-gamma activation was without effect. These results demonstrate that IL-10, a product of Th2 (helper T lymphocyte 2) cells, can antagonise the function of IFN-gamma, a product of Th1 cells, by modulating the mechanism of synthesis of nitric oxide in the macrophages.
Cunha
F Q
FQ
Wellcome Research Laboratories, Beckenham, Kent, UK.
Moncada
S
S
Liew
F Y
FY
D000594:Amino Acid Oxidoreductases / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D004790:Enzyme Induction / Q000187:drug effects; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007700:Kinetics; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology*; D051379:Mice; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology
D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D016753:Interleukin-10; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D000594:Amino Acid Oxidoreductases