Transcriptional regulation of IL-10 and its cell-specific role in vivo

Crit Rev Immunol. 2014;34(4):315-45. doi: 10.1615/critrevimmunol.2014010694.

Abstract

IL-10 is an important anti-inflammatory cytokine that plays important roles in controlling inflammatory responses and keeping the immune system in check following activation. Loss of IL-10 function in mice or humans results in the development of inflammatory bowel disease in response to an elevated immune response to the gut flora. IL-10 also acts to prevent excessive inflammation during the course of infection and has been implicated in a variety of autoimmune conditions. In response to inflammatory signals, IL-10 can be produced by a number of immune cells including T cells, B cells, macrophages, and dendritic cells. Distinct mechanisms control the production of IL-10 in these different cells types. In this review, we describe recent studies that have looked at the signaling pathways that regulate IL-10 production in these cells. Given the number of cell types that produce IL-10, it is perhaps not surprising that the in vivo source of IL-10 can vary in different immune models. We also describe how work using conditional IL-10 knockout mice or adoptive transfer of IL-10-deficient cells has begun to further our understanding regarding which specific immune cells are required for IL-10 production in vivo under different conditions.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Dendritic Cells / immunology
  • Dendritic Cells / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Regulation*
  • Humans
  • Interleukin-10 / genetics*
  • Interleukin-10 / metabolism
  • Intracellular Space / metabolism
  • Macrophages / immunology
  • Macrophages / metabolism
  • Organ Specificity / genetics
  • Signal Transduction
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / immunology
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / metabolism
  • Transcription, Genetic*

Substances

  • Interleukin-10