Studies about in vivo IL-10 immunoregulation demonstrated
that CD4+ cells from Schistosoma mansoni infected
mice produced large amounts of IL-10 and that this response was
temporally and mechanistically linked to the downregulation of the Th1
cytokine response. The addition of neutralizing anti IL-10 mAb to the
cultures resulted in an increase in IFN-γ
production to levels approaching those seen before the egg laying
phase. Thus, it is clear from in vitro studies on the
regulation of cytokine production and the observation of the Th1 and
Th2 profiles during S. mansoni infection in mice that Th1 and
Th2 responses are counter-regulatory. However, the role of IL-10 in
controlling the cytokine response may be dependent on the
immunological background of the host. T Wynn et al. studied S.
mansoni egg induced granuloma formation and cytokine production in
knockout mice which suggested that IL-10 may play a key role in
controlling the development of both type 1 and type 2 responses.
