title: New insights into the immunological changes in IL-10-deficient mice during the course of spontaneous inflammation in the gut mucosa.
abstract: IL-10 is a regulatory cytokine that plays a major role in the homeostasis of the gut and this is illustrated by the fact that IL-10(-/-) mice develop spontaneous colitis. In this study, IL-10(-/-) mice were analyzed for immunological changes during colitis development. We found a reduced frequency of regulatory T cells CD4(+)CD25(+)Foxp3(+) and higher frequency of activated T cells in the colon that precedes the macroscopic signs of the disease. Production of IL-17 and IFN-γ was higher in the colon. Colitis progression culminates with the reduction of CD4(+)LAP(+) regulatory T cells in the intestine. Frequency of B1 cells and the secretory IgA production were both elevated. Despite these alterations, 16-week-old IL-10(-/-) mice could be rendered tolerant by a continuous feeding protocol. Our study provides detailed analysis of changes that precede colitis and it also suggests that oral tolerance could be used to design novel alternative therapies for the disease.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Avenida Antônio Carlos 6627, 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana Cristina
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Gomes-Santos
authors.forename: Thais Garcias
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Moreira
authors.forename: Archimedes Barbosa
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Castro-Junior
authors.forename: Bernardo Coelho
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Horta
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lemos
authors.forename: Deborah Nogueira
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Cruz
authors.forename: Mauro Andrade Freitas
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Guimarães
authors.forename: Denise Carmona
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Cara
authors.forename: Donna-Marie
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: McCafferty
authors.forename: Ana Maria Caetano
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Faria
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016175:B-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D003092:Colitis / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D003106:Colon / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D007249:Inflammation / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; C498833:Foxp3 protein, mouse; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D020381:Interleukin-17; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit; D016753:Interleukin-10; D007371:Interferon-gamma