Short CommunicationInterleukin-10 prevents epithelial cell apoptosis by regulating IFNγ and TNFα expression in rhesus macaque colon explants

•IL-10 plays an obligate role in regulating inflammatory responses.•Anti-IL-10 antibody treatment induced increased epithelial cell apoptosis of colon.•IL-10 maintains mucosal homeostasis by regulating cytokines/degranulation molecules.

Interleukin-10 (IL-10) is an important immunomodulatory cytokine that plays an obligate role in regulating inflammatory responses. Here we demonstrated the role of IL-10 in regulating crypts length and breadth as well as maintaining the survival of epithelial cells using rhesus colon explant cultures. Anti-IL-10 antibody treatment of colon explant cultures induced increased production of inflammatory cytokines/molecules like IFNγ, TNFα, CD107a and perforin as well as increased epithelial cell apoptosis compared to media controls tested. Our results suggest that IL-10 plays a crucial role in maintaining mucosal homeostasis by regulating mucosal IFNγ and TNFα cytokine production.