Neutralising autoantibodies against IL-10 and HLA-DRB1*01:03 in paediatric patients with inflammatory bowel disease

Interleukin-10 (IL-10) is an essential regulator of intestinal immune homeostasis. Neutralising autoantibodies against IL-10 (anti-IL-10) have been identified in children and also adult patients with IBD. Positivity for anti-IL-10 autoantibodies was associated with carriage of HLA-DRB1*01:03 allele.

To determine the prevalence of anti-IL-10 in paediatric IBD and assess the associated clinical phenotype.

We conducted a cross-sectional multicentre study across paediatric IBD cohorts from four countries. Anti-IL-10 antibodies were investigated in serum and plasma from paediatric patients with IBD (mean age of IBD onset 11.2±3.8 years). IL-10-neutralisation capacity was confirmed by functional IL-10 reporter assay, competitive ELISA and cytokine release assay. Clinical data were analysed to evaluate disease phenotype and treatment outcomes, with comparison with matched controls. HLA-DRB1*01:03 analysis was performed.

Anti-IL-10 positivity was identified in 26/1045 paediatric patients with IBD (2.5%) (Crohn's disease n=6, UC n=19, IBD unclassified n=1; IBD diagnosis age of 13±3 years). Anti-IL-10 autoantibodies were of the IgG class and amplified pro-inflammatory cytokine responses in vitro. Anti-IL-10-positive patients exhibited more severe disease compared with matched controls, including an increased prevalence of difficult-to-treat disease (23% vs 6%, p=0.03), higher rate of acute severe UC (26% vs 6%; p=0.038) and higher rates of colectomy (27% vs 6%, p=0.01). Eighty percent (16/20) of anti-IL-10-positive patients with available HLA data carried the HLA-DRB1*01:03 allele, compared with 1.5% in the anti-IL-10-negative group.

Anti-IL-10 autoantibodies are present in a subgroup of paediatric patients with IBD and are associated with difficult-to-treat disease.