ABSTRACT
Department of Immunology, Hôpital Erasme and Laboratory ofExperimental Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Université Libre deBruxelles, Brussels,
Belgium
Interleukin-10 is an ubiquitous cytokine that plays a major regulatory role in the course of inflammatory responses by downregulating the synthesis of cytokines. In this paper, we summarize the major biological properties of IL-10 and the current knowledge of the molecular mechanisms by which IL-10 inhibits the expression of genes encoding proinflammatory cytokines. We then review the factors upregulating IL-10 synthesis and we present the concept that IL-10 is a stress cytokine produced not only in response to microbial pathogens but also to cellular injuries of diverse origins.
