The Role of Interleukin 10 in Keloid Therapy: A Literature Review.

INTRODUCTION

Keloids are pathological wound healing responses to dermal injuries. These scars may lead to considerable morbidity, but treatments remain challenging for physicians. Interleukin 10 (IL-10), a potent anti-inflammatory cytokine, plays a prominent role in fetal scarless regenerative healing; therefore, it may become a more targeted and effective therapy for keloids. This review aimed to obtain an overview of the background of keloid and IL-10 functions as its promising forthcoming treatment.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Studies were sought from Pubmed, ScienceDirect, PLOS, and Clinical Key. Keywords are interleukin 10, keloid, and wound healing as Medical Subject Headings terms.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Keloids and fetal scarless healing represent 2 opposing ends of the tissue repair spectrum. Promising multiple animal models have demonstrated successful regenerative healing promotion through IL-10 overexpression by its ability to minimize inflammatory wound microenvironment, downregulate transforming growth factor β/SMAD signaling pathway, increase extracellular matrix breakdown, and regulate extracellular matrix. These results have led to the development of clinical trials investigating human recombinant IL-10.

CONCLUSIONS

Interleukin 10 has the potential to become a more targeted and promising therapy of keloids owing to its pleiotropic effects.