Lessons from genetically engineered animal models - XII. IL-10-deficient (IL-10(-/-)) mice and intestinal inflammation

Interleukin (IL)-10(-/-) mice spontaneously develop intestinal inflammation characterized by discontinuous transmural lesions affecting the small and large intestine and by dysregulated production of proinflammatory cytokines . The uncontrolled generation of IFN-gamma-producing CD4(+) T cells (Th1 ty pe) has been shown to play a causal role in the development of enterocoliti s affecting these mutants. This article discusses studies of IL-10(-/-) mic e that have investigated the role of enteric organisms in triggering intest inal disease, the mediators responsible for initiating and maintaining inte stinal disease, the role IL-10 plays in the generation and/or function of r egulatory cells, and the results of IL-10 therapy in experimental animal mo dels of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and human patients with IBD.