# IL-10 / anti-inflammatory cytokines

Interleukin-10 (IL-10) is your immune system's main 'calm down' signal. It is an anti-inflammatory cytokine, made mostly by macrophages, regulatory T cells, and B cells. It tamps down inflammation by blocking the production of fiery cytokines (like IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-12) in immune cells, partly by suppressing the NF-κB and STAT1 pathways. In a healthy immune system, IL-10 is a key brake. It prevents your defenses from damaging your own tissue during infection or autoimmunity, acting as a counterweight to inflammatory signals like IL-6 and TNF-α. With age, the balance between IL-10 and those inflammatory signals gets thrown off, but not in one simple direction. Some studies find older people make less IL-10, others find more, which suggests the change depends on the tissue and the trigger, rather than just dropping across the board.

## Sources

- Saraiva M, Vieira P, O'Garra A. (2020). Biology and therapeutic potential of interleukin-10. Journal of Experimental Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1084/jem.20190418
- Kinzenbaw DA, Chu Y, Peña Silva RA, Didion SP, Faraci FM. (2013). Interleukin-10 protects against aging-induced endothelial dysfunction. Physiological Reports. https://doi.org/10.1002/phy2.149

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_Canonical: https://longevity-switzerland.com/en/glossary/il-10 · Part of Longevity Cities · Updated 2026-06-22_