Decreased release of IL-10 by monocytes from patients with lipoid nephrosis.

IL-10, a cross-regulatory cytokine produced by several cell types, including monocytes, is known to stimulate B cell growth and maturation and to inhibit cytokine production. In order to characterize further monocyte function in patients with lipoid nephrosis (LN), the release of IL-10 was measured in supernatants of cultured peripheral blood monocytes (PBM) that were obtained from LN patients and healthy controls. Spontaneous and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced IL-10 release was decreased in patients with LN compared with those in normal controls and lower in LN patients with the nephrotic syndrome (NS) than in those without NS. In contrast, the values in IgA nephropathy (IgAN) patients with or without NS did not differ from normal subjects. There was a negative correlation between IL-10 concentration and the quantity of vascular permeability factor (VPF) released in LN patients. These imply that there is a relative deficit in IL-10 release in active LN, which suggests the possibility that inadequate release of IL-10 may lead to increased VPF activity in active LN patients and the measurements of IL-10 may be of value for monitoring kidney disease. The data provide the first detailed analysis of IL-10 in a group of patients with LN.