技术资料

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

Dendritic cells (DCs) are antigen presenting cells of the immune system that play a crucial role in lymphocyte responses,host defense mechanisms,and pathogenesis of inflammation. Isolation and study of DCs have been important in biological research because of their distinctive features. Although they are essential key mediators of the immune system,DCs are very rare in blood,accounting for approximately 0.1 - 1% of total blood mononuclear cells. Therefore,alternatives for isolation methods rely on the differentiation of DCs from monocytes isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). The utilization of proper isolation techniques that combine simplicity,affordability,high purity,and high yield of cells is imperative to consider. In the current study,two distinct methods for the generation of DCs will be compared. Monocytes were selected by adherence or negatively enriched using magnetic separation procedure followed by differentiation into DCs with IL-4 and GM-CSF. Monocyte and MDDC viability,proliferation,and phenotype were assessed using viability dyes,MTT assay,and CD11c/ CD14 surface marker analysis by imaging flow cytometry. Although the magnetic separation method yielded a significant higher percentage of monocytes with higher proliferative capacity when compared to the adhesion method,the findings have demonstrated the ability of both techniques to simultaneously generate monocytes that are capable of proliferating and differentiating into viable CD11c+ MDDCs after seven days in culture. Both methods yielded textgreater 70% CD11c+ MDDCs. Therefore,our results provide insights that contribute to the development of reliable methods for isolation and characterization of human DCs. View Publication

Ab-targeted vaccination involves targeting a receptor of choice expressed by dendritic cells (DCs) with Ag-coupled Abs. Currently,there is little consensus as to which criteria determine receptor selection to ensure superior Ag presentation and immunity. In this study,we investigated parameters of DC receptor internalization and determined how they impact Ag presentation outcomes. First,using mixed bone marrow chimeras,we established that Ag-targeted,but not nontargeted,DCs are responsible for Ag presentation in settings of Ab-targeted vaccination in vivo. Next,we analyzed parameters of DEC205 (CD205),Clec9A,CD11c,CD11b,and CD40 endocytosis and obtained quantitative measurements of internalization speed,surface turnover,and delivered Ag load. Exploiting these parameters in MHC class I (MHC I) and MHC class II (MHC II) Ag presentation assays,we showed that receptor expression level,proportion of surface turnover,or speed of receptor internalization did not impact MHC I or MHC II Ag presentation efficiency. Furthermore,the Ag load delivered to DCs did not correlate with the efficiency of MHC I or MHC II Ag presentation. In contrast,targeting Ag to CD8(+) or CD8(-) DCs enhanced MHC I or MHC II Ag presentation,respectively. Therefore,receptor expression levels,speed of internalization,and/or the amount of Ag delivered can be excluded as major determinants that dictate Ag presentation efficiency in setting of Ab-targeted vaccination. View Publication

In this study,we examined the effects of cryoprotectant,freezing and thawing,and adenovirus (Adv) transduction on the viability,transgene expression,phenotype,and function of human dendritic cells (DCs). DCs were differentiated from cultured peripheral blood (PB) monocytes following Elutra isolation using granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) for 6 days and then transduced using an Adv vector with an IL-12 transgene. Fresh,cryopreserved,and thawed transduced immature DCs were examined for their: 1) cellular concentration and viability; 2) antigenicity using an allogeneic mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR); 3) phenotype (HLA-DR and CD11c) and activation (CD83); and 4) transgene expression based on IL-12 secretion. Stability studies revealed that transduced DCs could be held in cryoprotectant for as long as 75 min at 2-8°C prior to freezing with little effect on their viability and cellularity. Further,cryopreservation,storage,and thawing reduced the viability of the transduced DCs by an average of 7.7%; and had no significant impact on DC phenotype and activation. In summary,cryopreservation,storage,and thawing had no significant effect on DC viability,function,and transgene expression by Adv-transduced DCs. View Publication

Osteoclasts are resident cells of the bone that are primarily involved in the physiological and pathological remodeling of this tissue. Mature osteoclasts are multinucleated giant cells that are generated from the fusion of circulating precursors originating from the monocyte/macrophage lineage. During inflammatory bone conditions in vivo,de novo osteoclastogenesis is observed but it is currently unknown whether,besides increased osteoclast differentiation from undifferentiated precursors,other cell types can generate a multinucleated giant cell phenotype with bone resorbing activity. In this study,an animal model of calvaria-induced aseptic osteolysis was used to analyze possible bone resorption capabilities of dendritic cells (DCs). We determined by FACS analysis and confocal microscopy that injected GFP-labeled immature DCs were readily recruited to the site of osteolysis. Upon recruitment,the cathepsin K-positive DCs were observed in bone-resorbing pits. Additionally,chromosomal painting identified nuclei from female DCs,previously injected into a male recipient,among the nuclei of giant cells at sites of osteolysis. Finally,osteolysis was also observed upon recruitment of CD11c-GFP conventional DCs in Csf1r(-/-) mice,which exhibit a severe depletion of resident osteoclasts and tissue macrophages. Altogether,our analysis indicates that DCs may have an important role in bone resorption associated with various inflammatory diseases. View Publication

Inhibition of cytosolic DNA sensing represents a strategy that tumor cells use for immune evasion,but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Here we have shown that CD47-signal regulatory protein α (SIRPα) axis dictates the fate of ingested DNA in DCs for immune evasion. Although macrophages were more potent in uptaking tumor DNA,increase of DNA sensing by blocking the interaction of SIRPα with CD47 preferentially occurred in dendritic cells (DCs) but not in macrophages. Mechanistically,CD47 blockade enabled the activation of NADPH oxidase NOX2 in DCs,which in turn inhibited phagosomal acidification and reduced the degradation of tumor mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in DCs. mtDNA was recognized by cyclic-GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS) in the DC cytosol,contributing to type I interferon (IFN) production and antitumor adaptive immunity. Thus,our findings have demonstrated how tumor cells inhibit innate sensing in DCs and suggested that the CD47-SIRPα axis is critical for DC-driven antitumor immunity. View Publication

We have generated rat monoclonal antibodies specific for the mouse eotaxin receptor,C-C chemokine receptor 3 (CCR3). Several anti-CCR3 mAbs proved to be useful for in vivo depletion of CCR3-expressing cells and immunofluorescent staining. In vivo CCR3 mAbs of the IgG2b isotype substantially depleted blood eosinophil levels in Nippostrongyus brasiliensis-infected mice. Repeated anti-CCR3 mAb treatment in these mice significantly reduced tissue eosinophilia in the lung tissue and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Flow cytometry revealed that mCCR3 was expressed on eosinophils but not on stem cells,dendritic cells,or cells from the thymus,lymph node,or spleen of normal mice. Unlike human Th2 cells,mouse Th2 cells did not express detectable levels of CCR3 nor did they give a measurable response to eotaxin. None of the mAbs were antagonists or agonists of CCR3 calcium mobilization. To our knowledge,the antibodies described here are the first mAbs reported to be specific for mouse eosinophils and to be readily applicable for the detection,isolation,and in vivo depletion of eosinophils. View Publication

As sentinels of the immune system,dendritic cells (DCs) play an essential role in regulating cellular immune responses. One of the main challenges of developing DC-targeted therapies includes the delivery of antigen to DCs in order to promote the activation of antigen-specific effector CD8 T cells. With the goal of creating antigen-directed immunotherapeutics that can be safely administered directly to patients,Immune Design has developed a platform of novel integration-deficient lentiviral vectors that target and deliver antigen-encoding nucleic acids to human DCs. This platform,termed ID-VP02,utilizes a novel genetic variant of a Sindbis virus envelope glycoprotein with posttranslational carbohydrate modifications in combination with Vpx,a SIVmac viral accessory protein,to achieve efficient targeting and transduction of human DCs. In addition,ID-VP02 incorporates safety features in its design that include two redundant mechanisms to render ID-VP02 integration-deficient. Here,we describe the characteristics that allow ID-VP02 to specifically transduce human DCs,and the advances that ID-VP02 brings to conventional third-generation lentiviral vector design as well as demonstrate upstream production yields that will enable manufacturing feasibility studies to be conducted. View Publication

Resident host microflora condition and prime the immune system. However,systemic and mucosal immune responses to bacteria may be divergent. Our aim was to compare,in vitro,cytokine production by human mononuclear and dendritic cells (DCs) from mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs) and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) to defined microbial stimuli. Mononuclear cells and DCs isolated from the MLN (n = 10) and peripheral blood (n = 12) of patients with active colitis were incubated in vitro with the probiotic bacteria Lactobacillus salivarius UCC118 or Bifidobacterium infantis 35624 or the pathogenic organism Salmonella typhimurium UK1. Interleukin (IL)-12,tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha,transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta,and IL-10 cytokine levels were quantified by ELISA. PBMCs and PBMC-derived DCs secreted TNF-alpha in response to the Lactobacillus,Bifidobacteria,and Salmonella strains,whereas MLN cells and MLN-derived DCs secreted TNF-alpha only in response to Salmonella challenge. Cells from the systemic compartment secreted IL-12 after coincubation with Salmonella or Lactobacilli,whereas MLN-derived cells produced IL-12 only in response to Salmonella. PBMCs secreted IL-10 in response to the Bifidobacterium strain but not in response to the Lactobacillus or Salmonella strain. However,MLN cells secreted IL-10 in response to Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli but not in response to Salmonella. In conclusion,commensal bacteria induced regulatory cytokine production by MLN cells,whereas pathogenic bacteria induce T cell helper 1-polarizing cytokines. Commensal-pathogen divergence in cytokine responses is more marked in cells isolated from the mucosal immune system compared with PBMCs. View Publication