細胞激素(cytokine)，在人體的免疫系統中扮演著相當重要的角色，不論是血球的分化、生成及促進免疫系統對抗外來病原體入侵的反應，皆需要細胞激素的作用。發炎的的細胞激素(Pro-inflammatory cytokine)和抗發炎的細胞激素(anti-inflammtory cytokine)在體內存在一種動態的平衡，當發炎的細胞激素產生過多時，抗發炎的細胞激素會立即增加以調控過多的發炎細胞素所產生的反應；但是，若產生過多抗發炎的細胞激素，則會對人體清除外來病原的機制產生不良的影響。
Interleukin-10 (IL-10)為一種人體內抑制發炎的多功能型細胞素，在臨床試驗上用來治療許多發炎和自體免疫的疾病，包括牛皮癬、風溼性關節炎以及多發性硬化症等。IL-10家族包括IL-19、IL-20、IL-22、IL-24 (MDA-7)、IL-26 (AK-155)；這些IL-10的成員雖然在胺基酸的組成上有部份的相似性，但是在生物性功能上卻不盡相同。
IL-19在in vitro的實驗中已發現: 將IL-19用來處理單核球細胞時，會刺激單核球細胞產生interleukin-6 (IL-6) 和tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)，並且會使單核球進行細胞性的凋亡和產生ROS反應。為了進一步探討IL-19在生物體內(in vivo)所扮演的角色，我們將mouse IL19 (mIL-19) 的full-length cDNA構築在pCDNA3.1載體上，並利用intramuscular electroporation的方式，將包含mIL-19的質體送入老鼠體內進行蛋白質表現，以觀察老鼠所顯示的phenotype；另外我們也採用E.coli的系統來表達mIL-19，並完成mIL-19蛋白質的純化。我們利用900V 、100μs、6 pulse/sec的電擊條件，針對老鼠的大腿內側肌肉進行intramuscular electroporation，並且每隔兩天施打一次，總共進行四次；同時每兩天藉由眼窩採血的方式取得老鼠血清，以各種不同的functional assays檢測老鼠體內生理功能上的改變。經由ELISA的方法，觀察到在施打後第四天，IL-19的表現量達到最高值，並且偵測到體內的 IL-4、IL-5、IL-10表現量有增加的情形。另外我們也發現施打後12天，體內的B細胞比打入Empty vector小鼠的B cell有15%程度的增生；並由in vitro的方式證實IL-19本身的確會使B細胞活化，並隨著作用時間增加而有不同的增生情形。同時，我們也製造出一批具有allergenic airway inflammation的老鼠，以方便我們探討IL-19和asthma疾病之間的關連性。我們發現在這批asthma mice的血清中，IL-13和IL-19的表現量均會上升。總而言之，在in vivo和in vitro的情況下，IL-19是B cell增生和分化的一個重要因子；IL-19也會促進IL-4、IL-5和IL-10這類Th2細胞激素的增生。IL-19在asthma疾病中可能扮演著一種相當重要的角色。

A dynamic balance exists between proinflammatory cytokines and anti-inflammatory cytokines in human immune system. Inadequate concentrations of anti-inflammatory cytokines result in excess inflammation, yet excess anti-inflammatory cytokine concentrations disrupt clearance mechanisms of microbial pathogens in the host. Interleukin-10 is a well-studied pleiotropic immunosuppressive and immune-stimulatory cytokine. It was in clinical trail as an anti-inflammatory therapy for inflammatory bowel disease and various autoimmune diseases such as psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis. IL-19 belongs to the interleukin-10 (IL-10) family, which includes IL-10, IL-19, IL-20, IL-22, MDA-7 (IL-24), and AK155 (IL-26). Our previous study showed mouse interleukin-19 (mIL-19) induced the production of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α). Mouse IL-19 also induced mouse monocytes apoptosis and production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). To analyze the in vivo biological function of mouse interleukin-19 (mIL-19), we used intramuscular electroporation to deliver the mouse interleukin-19 into mouse. The protocol used for intramuscular electroporation was 900V, 100μs, 6 pulse/sec at each side of the leg of mice. Four administrations were performed in one week and different tibialis muscles were injected alternatively. The serums of mice are bled from the retro-orbital plexus every two days. ELISA was performed to detect the level of mIL-19 in blood. The levels of IL-4, IL-5 and IL-10 were increased in blood after delivery of IL-19 into mice. We also found that when B cells population of spleen increased by 15% after treatment with of IL-19 for 12 days, compared to the control. When B cells isolated from normal mice were treated with IL-19 along with anti-CD 40 in vitro, proliferations of B cells increased by 58 %. It demonstrated that IL-19 can potentiate with anti-CD 40 to induce B cell proliferation. We generated an asthma animal model to study the relationship between IL-19 and asthma. Both IL-13 and IL-19 were shown to increase in the serum of asthma mice. Taken together, we have demonstrated that IL-19 is a B cells growth and differentiation factor both in vivo and In vitro. IL-19 also induces Th2 cytokine production including IL-4, IL-5 and IL-10. IL-19 may play an important role in asthma disease.

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