Interleukin-10 inhibits the immune stimulatory potential of melanoma cells retrovirally transduced with human B7.1 or B7.2

Expression of interleukin-10 in patients with adenomyosis

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the expression of interleukin-10 (IL-10) in adenomyosis.

DESIGN

Laboratory study using human tissue.

SETTING

University hospital.

PATIENT(S)

Thirty-four patients with adenomyosis and 30 women without adenomyosis who underwent hysterectomy for nonendometrial pathology.

INTERVENTION(S)

Tissue sections were immunostained with murine monoclonal antihuman IL-10 antibodies.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S)

Microscopic evaluation to assess the presence and localization of IL-10 throughout the menstrual cycle in both eutopic endometrial and adenomyotic tissues of women with adenomyosis and compare it with IL-10 expression in the normal endometrium.

RESULT(S)

In the eutopic and ectopic endometrium of women with adenomyosis, epithelial cells showed higher staining intensity than the normal controls. However, no significant differences were found in the epithelial IL-10 immunostaining H score values between the eutopic endometrium and adenomyosis foci. Nonetheless, we observed a cyclic variation in the eutopic epithelial IL-10 immunoreactivity throughout the menstrual cycle with higher H score values in the secretory phase than in the proliferative phase.

CONCLUSION(S)

These findings suggest that an abnormality of inflammatory response may be present in the eutopic and ectopic endometrium of women with adenomyosis and that IL-10 may contribute to the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of adenomyosis.

HLA-G and IL-10 expression in human cancer—different stories with the same message

Immune evasion in cancer may result from structural and functional alterations of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I molecules and/or local release of immunosuppressive cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-10. In lung cancer, both of these mechanisms seem to often take place, resulting in the impaired tumor recognition and the progression of the disease. In primary cutaneous lymphomas on the other side, the shift towards immunosuppressive T helper (Th)2 cytokine profile and the secretion of IL-10 appears to occur more frequently than the loss of HLA class I molecules. In addition to down-regulation of HLA class I expression, IL-IO appears to be one of the factors responsible for the up-regulation of HLA-G, another molecule involved in the immunescape. It is possible that the expression of HLA-G itself may account for induction of Th2-skewing state and the production of IL-10, thence establishing a vicious circle of immune abrogation in cancer. This article reviews the current literature on this topic and provides new insights into the role of HLA-G and IL-10 in cancer.

Carcinogenicity testing of IL-10: principles and practicalities

IL-10 is a cytokine with actions at many levels of the immune system. In the course of development of recombinant human IL-10 (rhuIL-10) as a potential treatment for a number of chronic diseases of man, the question 'What about its carcinogenicity testing?' was repeatedly asked, based on scientific evaluation by toxicologists, beliefs about regulatory requirements, and questions considered likely to be raised by physicians, patients, and lawyers. The feasibility of various approaches to the carcinogenicity testing of rhuIL-10 is critically discussed here as a contribution to rational consideration of the general need for and value of such testing, and its particular feasibility for a recombinant human protein with profound effects on the immune system. The physiological functions of IL-10 in man and rodents are reviewed in detail, as there are notable differences between species in its normal activities, followed by detailed evaluation of the potential procedures and practical problems of its carcinogenicity testing as a heterologous, immunogenic protein in rodents. The value of information that might be obtained from transgenic mice is also evaluated, and so are the results of studies exploring its actions on human tumour cell biopsies and rodent and human cell lines. It is concluded that despite the probable popular and regulatory expectations that carcinogenicity test results would be provided, all the physiological and pathological information reveals no indication that rhuIL-10 would pose a carcinogenic risk to humans on prolonged administration, and that it would not be feasible to undertake such experimentation. It is argued that in this, as in other instances, professional and popular expectations have run beyond practical feasibility or theoretical justification. Cautious and critical evaluation should be made every time shorter or longer term toxicity studies of any candidate drug are planned or even considered, especially if it is a recombinant protein, to decide on objective grounds whether the studies are really necessary and whether they can be done in a way that will give meaningful results that will help in risk assessment.