Figure 1.

IL-10 limits bacterial clearance following aerosol infection with Mtb. (A) Il10 mRNA expression (RT-PCR) and (B) IL-10 protein (ELISA) following ex vivo restimulation with PPD of lung cell homogenates prepared from aerogenically Mtb-infected BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice. (C, D) WT BALB/c and BALB/c IL-10^−/− mice were killed at the time points indicated postinfection and bacterial burdens were determined in the (C) lungs and (D) spleen. The BALB/c data shown here are combined from six independent experiments. (E, F) Bacterial burdens in the lungs and spleens of WT (open bars) and IL-10^−/− (closed bars) C57BL/6 mice were determined at the time points indicated. Data from C57BL/6 mice are (E) combined from two independent experiments (n=11–15 mice per group) and (F) from one independent experiment (n=7 mice per group). (G) CBA/J mice were treated before and during Mtb infection with anti-IL-10R mAb (or control IgG) and bacterial burdens determined at day 103 postinfection (data are from one independent experiment, n=5–6 mice per group). (Data are mean±SEM). ^*p<0.05; ^**p<0.01; ^***p<0.001 (unpaired Student's t-test); ND, not done; <, below detection limit of the assay.