The role of IL-10 in regulating immunity to persistent viral infections

The immune system has evolved multipronged responses that are critical to effectively defend the body from invading pathogens and to clear infection. However, the same weapons employed to eradicate infection can have caustic effects on normal bystander cells. Therefore, tight regulation is vital and the host must balance engendering correct and sufficient immune responses to pathogens while limiting errant and excessive immunopathology. To accomplish this task, a complex network of positive and negative immune signals are delivered, which in most instances successfully eliminate the pathogen. However, in response to some viral infections, immune function is rapidly suppressed leading to viral persistence. Immune suppression is a critical obstacle to the control of many persistent viral infections such as HIV, hepatitis C, and hepatitis B virus, which together affect more than 500 million individuals worldwide. Thus, the ability to therapeutically enhance immunity is a potentially powerful approach to resolve persistent infections. The host-derived cytokine IL-10 is a key player in the establishment and perpetuation of viral persistence. This chapter discusses the role of IL-10 in viral persistence and explores the exciting prospect of therapeutically blocking IL-10 to increase antiviral immunity and vaccine efficacy.