RESEARCH NOTE - Preliminary Results on the Regulatory Role of IFN-γ and IL-10 Human Schistosomiasis Mansoni

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.