AUTHOR=Zhang Beibei , Wang Jianling , Liu Man , Zhao Qianqian , Yu Guozhi , Zhang Bo , Hua Hui , Xu Jinyao , Li Jing , Yu Qian , Koda Stephane , Xu Yin-Hai , Jiang Zhihua , Yan Chao , Zheng Kui-Yang 

TITLE=IL-10 regulates Th17 response to inhibit hepatobiliary injury caused by Clonorchis sinensis infection in C57BL/6J mice

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology

VOLUME=12

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cellular-and-infection-microbiology/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2022.994838

DOI=10.3389/fcimb.2022.994838

ISSN=2235-2988

ABSTRACT=<p>Clonorchiasis caused by <italic>Clonorchis sinensis</italic> is a mainly foodborne parasitic disease. It can lead to hepatobiliary duct inflammation, fibrosis, obstructive jaundice, liver cirrhosis, and even cholangiocarcinoma. Interleukin (IL)-10 is an immune-regulatory cytokine which plays an immunosuppressive role during infection. Our previous study found that IL-10 was increased in mice with <italic>C. sinensis</italic> infection. However, the role and mechanism of IL-10 playing in hepatobiliary injury induced by <italic>C. sinensis</italic> infection remain unknown. Herein, <italic>Il10<sup>+/+</sup></italic> mice and <italic>Il10<sup>+/-</sup></italic> C57BL/6J mice were infected with <italic>C. sinensis</italic>. It was found that IL-10 deficiency aggravated biliary hyperplasia and exacerbated periductal fibrosis induced by <italic>C. sinensis</italic> infection. Moreover, IL-10 deficiency increased CD4<sup>+</sup>T cells and CD8<sup>+</sup>T cells but not macrophages in the liver of mice with infection. There were no apparent differences in Th1 and Treg cells between <italic>Il10<sup>+/+</sup></italic> and <italic>Il10<sup>+/-</sup></italic> mice infected with <italic>C. sinensis</italic>. However, the proportion of Th17 cells in CD4<sup>+</sup>T cells in <italic>Il10<sup>+/-</sup></italic> infected mice was significantly higher than that in <italic>Il10<sup>+/+</sup></italic> infected mice. IL-10 deficiency also enhanced the increase of Th17 cells induced by ESPs stimulation <italic>in vitro</italic>. Taken together, our results suggest that IL-10 plays a protective role in hepatobiliary injury in C57BL/6J mice induced by <italic>C. sinensis</italic> infection <italic>via</italic> inhibiting Th17 cells, which could deepen our understanding of the immunopathology of clonorchiasis.</p>