title: In vivo generation of dendritic cells by intramuscular codelivery of FLT3 ligand and GM-CSF plasmids.
abstract: Dendritic cells (DCs) are the major cells responsible for the uptake and the transport of antigens to regional lymphoid tissues and for the presentation of antigenic peptides to T cells. They are highly effective in immunotherapy. However, in lymphoid and other tissues, DCs constitute only a small population and are difficult to isolate in large numbers. Our objective was to devise a method with which to rapidly expand splenic DCs in vivo. We accomplished this by intramuscular injection of plasmids encoding mouse granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and fms-like tyrosine kinase 3-ligand (FLT3-L). Gene transfer was amplified by electroporation. Both cytokine vectors significantly increased DC numbers, but they were more effective in combination. When either control plasmid (Blank), or FLT3-L or GM-CSF expression plasmids were injected individually, the mean numbers of CD11c(+)/MHC II(+) DCs in spleen cell suspensions were, respectively, 6, 11, and 23 million. When FLT3-L and GM-CSF plasmids were codelivered, this increased to 36 million. Peak levels occurred 7 days postinjection of DNA. To further characterize these DCs, we stained them with myeloid (CD11b, F4/80)- and lymphoid (CD8alpha)-related markers. FLT3-L cDNA favored lymphoid DC expansion and GM-CSF cDNA favored myeloid DC expansion, whereas combined treatment expanded both types with a myeloid predominance. We confirm the ability of these DCs to present antigen to CD4(+) T cells and to stimulate in mixed lymphocyte cultures. We demonstrate that DCs can be rapidly expanded by this simple gene transfer method, which has numerous potential applications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 2B4, Canada.
authors.forename: Yoav
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Peretz
authors.forename: Zheng Frank
authors.initials: ZF
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Fawaz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Halwani
authors.forename: Gérald J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Prud'homme
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019556:COS Cells; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000502:physiology; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D018274:Electroporation; D005260:Female; D005822:Genetic Vectors / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010641:Phenotype; D010957:Plasmids / Q000502:physiology; D013154:Spleen / Q000187:drug effects; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C084881:flt3 ligand protein; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor