THERAPEUTIC IMPLICATIONS OF INTERLEUKIN-10 IN SURGICAL DISEASE

Pharmacological therapy of surgical disease often involves manipulatin g the physiologic balance between pro; and anti-inflammatory responses . Many agents target only one aspect of the inflammatory cascade. Orig inally identified as a protein elaborated by T-lymphocytes, IL-IO appe ars to globally inhibit cytokine production. the purpose of this manus cript is to examine the immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects of interleukin-10 (IL-10) in an attempt to define the clinical utilit y of IL-10, both as a marker of and as a therapeutic strategy for inte rvention in inflammatory and immune-mediated diseases. IL-10 is elabor ated from multiple sources and has diverse cellular effects to regulat e immune and inflammatory responses. Accumulating evidence suggests th at the anti-inflammatory influence of IL-10 Observed at the cellular l evel may be manipulated to impact the immune and inflammatory-mediated responses associated with injury and sepsis, gastrointestinal and car diovascular disease, and transplantation. In conclusion, IL-10 is an i mportant mediator of immune and anti-inflammatory responses in surgica l disease and, as such, has therapeutic promise as an immunomodulator and as an anti-inflammatory agent.