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Elevated blood interleukin-10 levels and undiminished systemic interleukin-10 production rate prevail throughout acute protein-energy malnutrition in the weanling mouse.
Cytokine. 2009 Aug;47(2):126-31
Authors: Monk JM, Woodward B
The objectives were to determine if blood IL-10 levels rise during the early stages of acute (wasting) pre-pubescent malnutrition in metabolically distinct murine models known to depress inflammatory immune competence and whether systemic IL-10 production is affected in these pathologies.
Weanling C57BL/6J mice were assigned to dietary protocols that elicited wasting pathologies mimicking the human diseases of marasmus (restricted-intake group) or incipient kwashiorkor (low-protein group). An age-matched control group also was included. Serum IL-10 bioactivities were assessed in the early (day 3) and advanced (day 14) stages of weight loss, and net systemic IL-10 production was assessed at the same stages of pathology by in vivo cytokine capture.
Blood IL-10 levels were elevated in both malnourished groups relative to controls at days 3 and 14 (range of P values: 0.03-0.0001). Further, despite a limited supply of energy and nitrogenous substrates, the systemic IL-10 production rate was at least sustained in the malnourished groups and, in fact, was elevated in the marasmic group (P=0.05) throughout the progression of weight loss.
IL-10 emerges as an anti-inflammatory mediator positioned to participate in initiating and upholding the depressed immune competence that accompanies acute pre-pubescent deficits of protein and energy.
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Interleukin 10 is an anti-inflammatory cytokine.
Perhaps the increase in IL-10 and thus anti-inflammatory signaling partially explains the sense of well-being and the increase in energy some people experience when on a weight-loss diet such as the Atkins diet.
Pro-inflammatory signaling can trigger sickness behaviors – including the loss of energy and motivation.