Background: Interferon (IFN) regulatory factors (IRFs), as the transcriptional regulatory factors play important roles in regulating the expression of type I IFN and IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs) in innate immune responses, as well as participate in cell growth, development and regulating the oncogenesis.Results: In the present study, the cDNA sequence of IRF10 was characterized in common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) (abbreviation, CcIRF10). The predicted protein sequence of CcIRF10 shared 52.7-89.2% identities to teleost IRF10 and contained a DNA-binding domain (DBD), a nuclear localization signal (NLS) and an IRF associated domain (IAD). Phylogenetic analysis showed that CcIRF10 had a closer relationship with the IRF10 of Ctenopharyngodon idella. CcIRF10 transcripts was detectable in all examined tissues, with the highest expression in the gonad and the lowest expression level in the head kidney. The CcIRF10 expression was up-regulated in the spleen, head kidney, foregut and hindgut upon polyinosinic: polycytidylic acid (poly I:C) and Aeromonas hydrophila stimulation, and also induced by poly I:C, LPS and PGN in the peripheral blood leucocytes (PBLs) and head kidney leukocytes (HKLs) of C. carpio. In addition, overexpression of CcIRF10 was able to decrease the expressions of IFN-related genes, PKR and ISG5.Conclusions: These results indicated that CcIRF10 participated in the antiviral and antibacterial immunity, and negatively regulated the IFN response, which provided new insights into the IFN system of C. carpio.