The Role of Interleukin 10 in Keloid Therapy: A Literature Review

Abstract

Introduction: Keloids are pathological wound healing responses to dermal injuries. These scars may lead to considerable morbidity, but treatments remain challenging for physicians. Interleukin 10 (IL-10), a potent anti-inflammatory cytokine, plays a prominent role in fetal scarless regenerative healing; therefore, it may become a more targeted and effective therapy for keloids. This review aimed to obtain an overview of the background of keloid and IL-10 functions as its promising forthcoming treatment.

Materials and methods: Studies were sought from Pubmed, ScienceDirect, PLOS, and Clinical Key. Keywords are interleukin 10, keloid, and wound healing as Medical Subject Headings terms.

Results and discussion: Keloids and fetal scarless healing represent 2 opposing ends of the tissue repair spectrum. Promising multiple animal models have demonstrated successful regenerative healing promotion through IL-10 overexpression by its ability to minimize inflammatory wound microenvironment, downregulate transforming growth factor β/SMAD signaling pathway, increase extracellular matrix breakdown, and regulate extracellular matrix. These results have led to the development of clinical trials investigating human recombinant IL-10.

Conclusions: Interleukin 10 has the potential to become a more targeted and promising therapy of keloids owing to its pleiotropic effects.