Treatment of murine colitis by Lactococcus lactis secreting interleukin-10

The cytokine interleukin-10 (IL-10) has shown promise in clinical trials fo r treatment of inflammatory bower disease (IBD), Using two mouse models, we show that the therapeutic dose of IL-10 can be reduced by Localized delive ry of a bacterium genetically engineered to secrete the cytokine, Intragast ric administration of IL-10-secreting Lactococcus lactis caused a 50% reduc tion in colitis in mice treated with dextran sulfate sodium and prevented t he onset of colitis in IL-10(-/-) mice. This approach may Lead to better me thods for cost-effective and Long-term management of IBD in humans.