title: IL-10 as a mediator in the HPA axis and brain.
abstract: Certain functional interactions between the nervous, endocrine, and immune systems are mediated by cytokines. The pro-inflammatory cytokines, interleukin-1 (IL-1) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) were among the first to be recognized in this regard. A modulator of these cytokines, IL-10, has been shown to have a wide range of activities in the immune system; in this review, we describe its production and actions in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. IL-10 is produced in pituitary, hypothalamic, and neural tissues in addition to lymphocytes. IL-10 enhances corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) and corticotropin (ACTH) production in hypothalamic and pituitary tissues, respectively. Further downstream in the HPA axis endogenous IL-10 has the potential to contribute to regulation of glucocorticosteroid production both tonically and following stressors. Our studies and those of others reviewed here indicate that IL-10 may be an important endogenous regulator in HPA axis activity and in CNS pathologies such as multiple sclerosis. Thus, in addition to its more widely recognized role in immunity, IL-10's neuroendocrine activities described here point to its role as an important regulator in communication between the immune and neuroendocrine systems.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston 77555-0431, USA. esmith@utmb.edu
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cadet
authors.forename: G B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Stefano
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Opp
authors.forename: T K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Hughes
mesh_terms: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001921:Brain / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006801:Humans; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D008954:Models, Biological; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013154:Spleen / Q000378:metabolism; D013696:Temperature; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D016328:NF-kappa B; D016753:Interleukin-10; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone