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The Role of Interleukin 10 in the Regulation of Allergic Immune Responses

2001; Karger Publishers; Volume: 126; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1159/000049499

1423-0097

Iris Bellinghausen, Jürgen Knop, Joachim Saloga,

Dermatology and Skin Diseases

Several clinical studies and animal models have shown that Th2 lymphocytes play a key role in the pathophysiology of IgE-mediated allergic immune responses like allergic rhinitis and asthma or venom anaphylaxis. Classical specific immunotherapy (SIT) that has been proven to be clinically effective can serve as a role model for immunological changes that are associated with amelioration of allergic diseases. During SIT, the Th2-dominated immune response is modified towards a Th1 response leading to a decline in allergen-specific IgE and an increase in allergen-specific IgG production. Most importantly, however, production of the immunosuppressive/-regulatory cytokine interleukin 10 (IL-10) is also induced leading to T cell tolerance and prevention of tissue inflammation. In this article the role of IL-10-producing T cells in the regulation of allergic immune responses will be discussed.