Lessons from genetically engineered animal models. XII. IL-10-deficient (IL-10(-/-) mice and intestinal inflammation.
Rennick DM, Fort MM.
DNAX Research Institute of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Palo Alto, California 94304, USA.
Interleukin (IL)-10(-/-) mice spontaneously develop intestinal inflammation characterized by discontinuous transmural lesions affecting the small and large intestine and by dysregulated production of proinflammatory cytokines. The uncontrolled generation of IFN-gamma-producing CD4(+) T cells (Th1 type) has been shown to play a causal role in the development of enterocolitis affecting these mutants. This article discusses studies of IL-10(-/-) mice that have investigated the role of enteric organisms in triggering intestinal disease, the mediators responsible for initiating and maintaining intestinal disease, the role IL-10 plays in the generation and/or function of regulatory cells, and the results of IL-10 therapy in experimental animal models of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and human patients with IBD.
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PMID: 10859210 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]