IL-10 is an anti-inflammatory cytokine that is produced by T cells, NK cells and macrophages (1,2). IL-10 initiates signal transduction by binding to a cell surface receptor complex consisting of IL-10 RI and IL-10 RII (1). Binding of IL-10 leads to the activation of Jak1 and Tyk2, which phosphorylates Stat-3 (1,3). The anti-inflammatory activity of IL-10 is due to its ability to block signaling through other cytokine receptors, notably IFNγ receptor, by upregulating expression of SOCS-1 (1,3). In addition, IL-10 promotes T cell tolerance by inhibiting tyrosine phosphorylation of CD28 (4,5). IL-10 is an important negative regulator of the immune response, which allows for maintenance of pregnancy (1). In contrast, increased IL-10 levels contribute to persistent Leishmania major infections (6).
