Interleukin 10 blocks HIV replication in macrophages by inhibiting the autocrine loop of tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin 6 induction of virus.

Human interleukin 10 is a pleiotropic cytokine capable of suppressing cytokine production from macrophages and T cells; in addition, it exerts complex regulatory effects on CD8+ T cells, natural killer cells, vascular endothelial cells, and B lymphocytes. Levels of IL-10 are elevated in HIV-infected individuals, suggesting that this cytokine may play a role in the suppression of T cell and monocyte/macrophage function typical of HIV disease. In this article, IL-10 blocked HIV-induced tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin 6 secretion and inhibited HIV replication in monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs). The inhibition by IL-10 was correlated with a block in endogenous TNF-alpha and IL-6 secretion from HIV-infected MDMs.