Highly activated cytotoxic CD8 T cells express protective IL-10 at the peak of coronavirus-induced encephalitis
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Updated: Jun 4, 2026

Detection of Polyfunctional T Cells in Children Vaccinated with Japanese Encephalitis Vaccine via the Flow Cytometry Technique
Published on: September 23, 2022
Kathryn Trandem1, Jingxian Zhao, Erica Fleming
1Interdisciplinary Program in Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA.
Abstract:
Acute viral encephalitis requires rapid pathogen elimination without significant bystander tissue damage. In this article, we show that IL-10, a potent anti-inflammatory cytokine, is produced transiently at the peak of infection by CD8 T cells in the brains of coronavirus-infected mice. IL-10(+)CD8 and IL-10(-)CD8 T cells interconvert during acute disease, possibly based on recent Ag exposure. Strikingly, IL-10(+)CD8 T cells were more highly activated and cytolytic than IL-10(-)CD8 T cells, expressing greater levels of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines, as well as cytotoxic proteins. Even though these cells are highly proinflammatory, IL-10 expressed by these cells was functional. Furthermore, IL-10 produced by CD8 T cells diminished disease severity in mice with coronavirus-induced acute encephalitis, suggesting a self-regulatory mechanism that minimizes immunopathological changes.
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