MINIREVIEW Interleukin-10 and Immunity against Prokaryotic and

The generation of an effective immune response against an infection while also limiting tissue damage requires a delicate balance between pro- and anti-inflammatory responses. Interleukin-10 (IL-10) has potent immunosuppressive effects and is essential for regulation of immune responses. However, the immunosuppressive properties of IL-10 can also be exploited by pathogens to facilitate their own survival. In this minireview, we discuss the role of IL-10 in modulating intracellular bacterial, fungal, and parasitic infections. Using information from several different infection models, we bring together and highlight some common pathways for IL-10 regulation and function that cannot be fully appreciated by studies of a single pathogen. Interleukin 10 (IL-10) is an anti-inflammatory cytokine most readily associated with macrophages, both as a source of IL-10 and as the population most impacted by its action (82). Nu-merous other cells have, however, been shown to secrete IL-10, including dendritic cells (DCs), T cells, B cells, neutrophils, eosinophils, and mast cells (82). The secretion of IL-10 is mediated by several cytokines, including IL-12 (116), IL-