The Stimulation of Macrophages with TLR Ligands Supports Increased IL-19 Expression in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients and in Colitis Models

IL-19, a member of the IL-10 cytokine family that signals through the IL-20 receptor type I (IL-20R alpha:IL-2012 beta), is a cytokine whose function is not completely known. In this article, we show that the expression of IL19 in biopsies of patients with active ulcerative colitis was increased compared with patients with quiescent ulcerative colitis and that colitis was attenuated in IL-19 deficient mice. The disruption of the epithelial barrier with dextran sodium sulfate leads to increased IL-19 expression. Attenuated colitis in IL-19 deficient animals was associated with reduced numbers of IL-6 producing macrophages in the inflamed colonic lamina propria. Microbial-driven expression of IL-19 by intestinal macrophages may contribute to the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease.