Background. Studies have shown that susceptibility to sepsis after sev
ere injury correlated with reduced production of T-helper 1 (Th1) cyto
kines (interleukin-[IL-2] and interferon-gamma [IFN-gamma]) and a pers
istence of T-helper 2 (Th2) cytokines (IL-4 and IL-10). The mechanisms
responsible for this effect are not clear. We used a T-dependent anti
gen to study both the effect of burn injury on antigen-specific Th fun
ctions in vivo and the effect of anti-IL-10 antibody on these function
s. Methods. Male A/J mice were anesthetized and given a 25 % scald bur
n or a sham burn. On day 0 all mice were immunized with 100 mu g trini
trobenzene sulfonic acid (TNP) haptenated ovalbumin (TNP-OVA) in compl
ete Freund's adjuvant. Mice (10 per group) were given 250 mu g monoclo
nal rat antimurine IL-10 antibody (anti-IL-10 MAB) or control rat immu
noglobin G (IgG) on day 0 and 100 mu g anti-IL-10 MAB or IgG on day 2.
On day 10 the mice were killed to obtain serum and spleen cells. TNP-
specific serum antibody isotype titers were determined by enzyme-linke
d immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Splenocyte proliferation and cytokine p
roduction in response to TNP-OVA or to anti-CD3 MAB were determined by
tritiated thymidine incorporation and ELISA, respectively. Results, B
urn injury resulted in depressed levels of the TNP-specific IgG2a anti
body isotype (Th1 dependent), whereas TNP-specific IgG1 and IgE (Th2 d
ependent) levels were not decreased in burn versus sham burn mice. Ant
i-IL-10 MAB but not IgG restored the IgG2a response. Burn injury also
resulted in reduced TNP-OVA-specific proliferation of splenocytes, whe
reas anti-CD3 proliferation was equivalent in burn and sham mice. TNP-
OVA-specific IL-2 and IFN-gamma production were significantly reduced
by burn injury. Anti-IL-10 MAB restored TNP-OVA-specific proliferation
and antigen-specific IL-2 and interferon-gamma production by splenocy
tes from burn mice. Conclusions. Burn injury induces the loss of antig
en-specific Th1 cell function, and IL-10 acts as a trigger to down-reg
ulate Th1 activity after injury.