title: Partial IL-10 inhibition of the cell-mediated immune response in chronic beryllium disease.
abstract: Chronic beryllium disease (CBD) provides a human disorder in which to study the delayed type IV hypersensitivity response to persistent Ag that leads to noncaseating pulmonary granuloma formation. We hypothesized that, in CBD, failure of IL-10 to modulate the beryllium-specific, cell-mediated immune response would result in persistent, maximal cytokine production and T lymphocyte proliferation, thus contributing to the development of granulomatous lung disease. To test this hypothesis, we used bronchoalveolar lavage cells from control and CBD subjects to evaluate the beryllium salt-specific production of endogenous IL-10 and the effects of exogenous human rIL-10 (rhIL-10) on HLA expression, on the production of IL-2, IFN-gamma, and TNF-alpha, and on T lymphocyte proliferation. Our data demonstrate that beryllium-stimulated bronchoalveolar lavage cells produce IL-10, and the neutralization of endogenous IL-10 does not increase significantly cytokine production, HLA expression, or T lymphocyte proliferation. Second, the addition of excess exogenous rhIL-10 partially inhibited the beryllium-stimulated production of IL-2, IFN-gamma, and TNF-alpha; however, we measured no change in T lymphocyte proliferation or in the percentage of alveolar macrophages expressing HLA-DP. Interestingly, beryllium salts interfered with an IL-10-stimulated decrease in the percentage of alveolar macrophages expressing HLA-DR. We conclude that, in the CBD-derived, beryllium-stimulated cell-mediated immune response, low levels of endogenous IL-10 have no appreciable effect; exogenous rhIL-10 has a limited effect on cytokine production and no effect on T lymphocyte proliferation or HLA expression.
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Morgantown, WV 26505, USA. sft3@cdc.gov
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Tinkle
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Kittle
authors.forename: L S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Newman
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000494:pharmacology; D001607:Berylliosis / Q000276:immunology*; D001608:Beryllium / Q000494:pharmacology; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002908:Chronic Disease; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004306:Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; D006681:HLA-D Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D016676:Macrophages, Alveolar / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D016207:Cytokines; D006681:HLA-D Antigens; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C020711:beryllium sulfate; D016753:Interleukin-10; D001608:Beryllium