INTERLEUKIN-10 BLOCKS HIV REPLICATION IN MACROPHAGES BY INHIBITING THE AUTOCRINE LOOP OF TUMOR-NECROSIS-FACTOR-ALPHA AND INTERLEUKIN-6 INDUCTION OF VIRUS

Human interleukin 10 is a pleiotropic cytokine capable of suppressing cytokine production from macrophages and T cells; in addition, it exer ts complex regulatory effects on CD8(+) T cells, natural killer cells, vascular endothelial cells, and B lymphocytes. Levels of IL-10 are el evated in HIV-infected individuals, suggesting that this cytokine may play a role in the suppression of T cell and monocyte/macrophage funct ion typical of HIV disease. In this article, IL-10 blocked HIV-induced tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin 6 secretion and inhibited HIV replication in monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs). The inhibitio n by IL-10 was correlated with a block in endogenous TNF-alpha and IL- 6 secretion from HIV-infected MDMs.