Cryo-EM structure of the IL-10 receptor complex provides a blueprint for ligand engineering

Interleukin-10 (IL-10) is an immunomodulatory cytokine that plays important roles in terminating inflammatory responses and preventing tissue damage resulting from autoimmunity. Although these anti-inflammatory actions have led to considerable clinical interest, efforts to exploit IL-10 therapeutically have been hindered by the highly pleiotropic nature of IL-10 and its ability to elicit proinflammatory effects in vivo. In this structural snapshot, we review the recent cryo-EM structure of the IL-10 receptor signaling complex, highlighting its unique structural features, insights into the mechanism of receptor sharing by the IL-10 cytokine family, and the implications for manipulating IL-10 signaling therapeutically.

Automated summary

IL-10 is an immunomodulatory cytokine with important roles in terminating inflammatory responses and preventing tissue damage from autoimmunity. However, its pleiotropic nature and ability to elicit proinflammatory effects in vivo have hindered therapeutic efforts utilizing IL-10.