Pivotal role of PGE2 and IL-10 in the cross-regulation of dendritic cell-derived inflammatory mediators.

Exposure to pathogens induces antigen-presenting cells (APC) such as macrophages and dendritic cells (DC) to produce various endogenous mediators, including arachidonic acid (AA)-derived eicosanoids, cytokines, and nitric oxide (NO). Many secreted products of activated APC can act by themselves in an autocrine manner and modulate their function. Moreover, the cross-interaction between endogenous bioactive molecules regulates the function of professional APC with important consequences for their ability to activate and sustain immune and inflammatory responses, and to regulate immune homeostasis. Although neglected for many years when compared to their role in cardiovascular homeostasis, cancer and inflammation, the importance of eicosanoids in immunology is becoming more defined. The role of prostaglandin (PG) E2 (PGE2), one of the best known and most well studied eicosanoids, is of particular interest. It modulates the activities of professional DC by acting on their differentiation, maturation and their ability to secrete cytokines. Uniquely among haematopoietic cytokines, interleukin-10 (IL-10) is a pleiotropic molecule that displays both immunostimulatory and immunoregulatory activities. IL-10 has attached much attention because of its anti-inflammatory properties. It modulates expression of cytokines, soluble mediators and cell surface molecules by cells of myeloid origin, particularly macrophages and DC. We previously reported that PGE2 is a potent inducer of IL-10 in bone marrow-derived DC (BM-DC), and PGE2-induced IL-10 is a key regulator of the BM-DC pro-inflammatory phenotype. BM-DC may be considered as an important model to study complex interactions between endogenous mediators, and autocrine IL-10 plays a pivotal role in the crossregulation of AA-derived lipid mediators, cytokines, and NO, with critical effects on immune and inflammatory responses.