IL-4 inhibits TGF-β-induced Foxp3+ T cells and, together with TGF-β, generates IL-9+ IL-10+ Foxp3- effector T cells

Transcription factor Foxp3 is critical for generating regulatory T cells (T-reg cells). Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) induces Foxp3 and suppressive T-reg cells from naive T cells, whereas interleukin 6 (IL-6) inhibits the generation of inducible Treg cells. Here we show that IL-4 blocked the generation of TGF-beta-induced Foxp3(+) T-reg cells and instead induced a population of T helper cells that produced IL-9 and IL-10. The IL-9(+)IL-10(+) T cells demonstrated no regulatory properties despite producing abundant IL-10. Adoptive transfer of IL-9(+)IL-10(+) T cells into recombination-activating gene 1-deficient mice induced colitis and peripheral neuritis, the severity of which was aggravated if the IL-9(+)IL-10(+) T cells were transferred with CD45RB(hi) CD4(+) effector T cells. Thus IL-9(+)IL-10(+) T cells lack suppressive function and constitute a distinct population of helper-effector T cells that promote tissue inflammation.