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From immunity to tolerance through HDAC

Nature Immunology volume 10, pages 13–14 (2009)Cite this article

Regulation of expression of the gene encoding interleukin 10 by the histone deacetylase HDAC11 emphasizes the ability of an antigen-presenting cell to induce immunity or tolerance in CD4+ T cells.

Living organisms are in a direct and continuous exposure to a great complexity of nonpathogenic and pathogenic microorganisms. Innate immunity-related cells such as macrophages and dendritic cells are the first line of defense. Their job is to rapidly kill the invading vermin while at the same time activating a second line of defense composed of adaptive immunity-related cells. Innate immunity-related cells discriminate between different types of microorganisms and between self and non-self antigens through the use of molecular pattern-recognition receptors1. The detection of microbes by these cells leads to the secretion of cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor, interleukin 1 (IL-1), IL-6 and IL-12, which activate adaptive immunity. The expression of such proinflammatory cytokines is tightly regulated to prevent the pathology caused by excessive or chronic inflammation. The production of IL-10, a cytokine with potent immune inhibitory capacity, is one mechanism in place to moderate exuberant innate and adaptive immune responses2. Greater IL-10 production can also confer tolerance to these cells. Work presented by Sotomayor and colleagues in this issue of Nature Immunology examines the regulation of IL-10 production during an innate immunity-related cell response3.

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Figure 1: A model of how the function of antigen-presenting cells is regulated by HDAC11 through Il10.

Katie Vicari

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Katia Georgopoulos is with the Cutaneous Biology Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts 02129, USA. katia.georgopoulos@cbrc2.mgh.harvard.edu,

    Katia Georgopoulos

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  1. Katia Georgopoulos
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Georgopoulos, K. From immunity to tolerance through HDAC. Nat Immunol 10, 13–14 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/ni0109-13

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ni0109-13

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