Scientific Resources

Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) have potential applications in cell replacement therapy and regenerative medicine. However,limited information is available regarding the immunologic features of iPSCs. In this study,expression of MHC and T cell co-stimulatory molecules in hiPSCs,and the effects on activation,proliferation and cytokine production in allogeneic human peripheral blood mononuclear cells were examined. We found that no-integrate hiPSCs had no MHC-II and T cell co-stimulatory molecules expressions but had moderate level of MHC-I and HLA-G expressions. In contrast to human skin fibroblasts (HSFs) which significantly induced allogeneic T cell activation and proliferation,hiPSCs failed to induce allogeneic CD45+ lymphocyte and CD8+ T cell activation and proliferation but could induce a low level of allogeneic CD4+ T cell proliferation. Unlike HSFs which induced allogeneic lymphocytes to produce high levels of IFN-γ,TNF-α and IL-17,hiPSCs only induced allogeneic lymphocytes to produce IL-2 and IL-10,and promote IL-10-secreting regulatory T cell (Treg) generation. Our study suggests that the integration-free hiPSCs had low or negligible immunogenicity,which may result from their induction of IL-10-secreting Treg. View Publication

In mouse,a subset of dendritic cells (DCs) known as CD8alpha+ DCs has emerged as an important player in the regulation of T cell responses and a promising target in vaccination strategies. However,translation into clinical protocols has been hampered by the failure to identify CD8alpha+ DCs in humans. Here,we characterize a population of human DCs that expresses DNGR-1 (CLEC9A) and high levels of BDCA3 and resembles mouse CD8alpha+ DCs in phenotype and function. We describe the presence of such cells in the spleens of humans and humanized mice and report on a protocol to generate them in vitro. Like mouse CD8alpha+ DCs,human DNGR-1+ BDCA3hi DCs express Necl2,CD207,BATF3,IRF8,and TLR3,but not CD11b,IRF4,TLR7,or (unlike CD8alpha+ DCs) TLR9. DNGR-1+ BDCA3hi DCs respond to poly I:C and agonists of TLR8,but not of TLR7,and produce interleukin (IL)-12 when given innate and T cell-derived signals. Notably,DNGR-1+ BDCA3+ DCs from in vitro cultures efficiently internalize material from dead cells and can cross-present exogenous antigens to CD8+ T cells upon treatment with poly I:C. The characterization of human DNGR-1+ BDCA3hi DCs and the ability to grow them in vitro opens the door for exploiting this subset in immunotherapy. View Publication