COMMENTARY

Inflammatory bowel disease

IL-10 therapy in Crohn's disease: at the crossroads

H Herfarth, J Schölmerich

Department of Internal Medicine I, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Dr H Herfarth, Klinik und Poliklinik für Innere Medizin I, Klinikum der Universität Regensburg, 93042 Regensburg, Germany;
hans.herfarth@klinik.uni-regensburg.de

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Treatment of Crohn's disease with the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin 10

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Keywords: Crohn's disease; inflammatory bowel disease; inflammation; interleukin 10; neopterin; interferon ; Crohn's disease; infliximab; tumour necrosis factor

Interleukin 10 (IL-10) was initially discovered and isolated on the basis of its ability to suppress cytokine synthesis by Th1 helper cells. Macrophages and their secreted mediators are the primary target of IL-10. IL-10 downregulates expression of class II and B7 molecules, as well as IL-12 production, thus impairing the macrophage dependent stimulation of antigen reactive Th-1 cells.¹

The important regulatory role of IL-10 in the gut became obvious when IL-10 deficient mice (IL-10^-/-), generated by gene targeting, developed chronic enterocolitis.² More interestingly, IL-10^-/- mice kept under germfree conditions do not develop enterocolitis, which suggests that in the absence of the immunomodulatory effects of IL-10, an unrestricted intestinal inflammatory response develops towards normal enteric antigens. The observations in the IL-10^-/- mice lay the foundation for administration of IL-10 in several animal models. The results of these studies clearly showed prevention of intestinal inflammation by IL-10, mainly . . . [Full text of this article]

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This article has been cited by other articles:

• Asadullah, K., Sterry, W., Volk, H. D. (2003). Interleukin-10 Therapy--Review of a New Approach. Pharmacol. Rev. 55: 241-269 [Abstract] [Full Text]