REGULATORY EFFECTS OF INTRINSIC IL-10 IN IGG IMMUNE COMPLEX-INDUCED LUNG INJURY

IL-10 has regulatory effects in vitro on cytokine production by activated macrophages. In the IgG immune complex model of lung injury, exogenously administered IL-10 has been shown to suppress in vivo formation of TNF-alpha, up-regulation of vascular ICAM-1, neutrophil recruitment and ensuing lung injury. In the current study, we sought to determine whether endogenous IL-10 is playing a regulatory role in the lung inflammatory response. On the basis of lung mRNA and ELISA measurements, IL-10 induction was found during development of inflammation in the IgG immune complex model of lung injury. Blocking of IL-10 by Ab resulted in a 52% increase in lung vascular permeability, a 56% increase in TNF-alpha activity in bronchoalveolar ravage fluids, and a 47 to 48% increase in bronchoalveolar lavage neutrophils and lung myeloperoxidase content. These findings suggest that IL-10 is an important natural regulator of lung inflammatory injury after deposition of IgG immune complexes.