[Clinical implication of IL-10 in patients with immune and inflammatory diseases].
The immune system is regulated by soluble glycoproteins produced by a wide variety of cells. IL-10 is a soluble protein produced by helper T (Th) cells, macrophages (M phi)/monocytes (Mo), and B cells, which exhibits a wide array of both immunosuppressive and immunostimulatory properties. We examined the pathological significance of this new cytokine "IL-10", and its clinical implications. IL-10 was discovered in 1989 as an activity produced by murine type 2Th (Th2) cells which suppressed cytokine production such as interferon gamma (IFN gamma) by type 1Th (Th1) cells. Its inhibitory effects were mainly recognized in vivo in animal experiments. In humans, unlike in mice, it is difficult to separate Th1 from Th2 cells. However, as we expected, marked suppressive activities on M phi/Mo were observed in humans. We have examined the serum levels of IL-10 in several diseases. In autoimmune diseases, some of the patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) had higher titers of IL-10 in their sera than the normal controls. Conversely, some patients with common variable immunodeficiency and with inflammatory bowel diseases showed lower titers of IL-10 in their sera than the healthy controls. Most bacterial endotoxin shock patients had lower levels of serum IL-10 than cardiogenic shock patients. Collectively, the ability of IL-10 to suppress the production of inflammatory monokines and to elevate anti-inflammatory monokines, suggests a strong anti-inflammatory role in diseases such as septic endotoxin shock and inflammatory bowel diseases. Also, the IL-10 antagonist such as soluble IL-10 receptor might be a candidate for the treatment of B cell mediated autoimmune diseases such as SLE by selectively enhancing Th1 immunity.
Ishida
H
H
Department of Internal Medicine, Utano National Hospital, Kyoto.
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D017074:Common Variable Immunodeficiency / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data
D016753:Interleukin-10