Role of IL-10 deficiency in pneumonia induced by Corynebacterium kutscheri in mice.
IL-10 is an important anti-inflammatory cytokine that can inhibit the production of many pro-inflammatory cytokines. Both human and animal studies have shown that pro-inflammatory cytokines play an important role in pneumonia and other inflammatory lung diseases. In the present study, IL-10 knockout (KO) and wild-type mice were infected with Corynebacterium kutscheri to determine whether the severity of pathogenesis and whether protective immunity could be altered in the absence of IL- 10. The survival rate was significantly lower in IL-10 KO mice than wild-type mice. The number of neutrophils in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and blood were found to be higher in IL-10 KO mice than wild-type mice. IL-10 KO mice showed greater neutrophil infiltration, excessive inflammation, and weight-loss compared with wild-type mice. Furthermore, upregulation of IFN-gamma in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, and upregulation of MIP-1alpha and IP-10 mRNA in the lungs of IL-10 KO mice compared with wild-type mice after C. kutscheri infection were observed. These results suggest that IL-10 plays an important role in the anti-inflammatory properties against C. kutscheri infection, and that lack of IL-10 leads to a more severe pulmonary inflammatory response. This increased susceptibility to C. kutscheri pneumonia is at least in part caused by IL-10 deficiency and severe recruitment of neutrophils.
College of Veterinary Medicine, Konkuk University, Seoul 143-701, Korea.
Eui-Suk
ES
Jeong
Young-Suk
YS
Won
Hyoung-Chin
HC
Kim
Myung-Hawn
MH
Cho
Yang-Kyu
YK
Choi
D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D003354:Corynebacterium Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008168:Lung / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000502:physiology; D018410:Pneumonia, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology
D016207:Cytokines; D016753:Interleukin-10