An Insight into the Role of IL-10 and Foamy Macrophages in Infectious Diseases

Abstract Dysregulation of lipid homeostasis causes the deposition of lipids in the form of tiny droplets within foamy macrophages (FMs). In FMs, host-derived lipids aid in survival of various intracellular pathogens leading to sustained infection. In several infectious diseases, the transformation of macrophages into a foamy phenotype is linked to the presence of high IL-10, a potent immune-modulatory cytokine. This review aims to understand the role of IL-10 in the signaling events that are crucial in generation of FMs and highlights how various intracellular pathogens targets the IL-10–FM axis for successful establishment of infections. The review also briefly discusses how the IL-10–FM axis can be a target for developing novel therapeutic strategies to prevent intracellular infections.