title: A dendritic cell vaccine against invasive aspergillosis in allogeneic hematopoietic transplantation.
abstract: Dendritic cells (DCs) have a remarkable functional plasticity in response to conidia and hyphae of the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus. In the present study we sought to assess the capacity of DCs activated by live fungi or fungal RNA to generate antifungal immunity in vivo. We found that both human and murine DCs pulsed with live fungi or transfected with fungal RNA underwent functional maturation, as revealed by the up-regulated expression of histocompatibility class II antigen and costimulatory molecules and the production of interleukin 12 (IL-12) in response to conidia or conidial RNA and of IL-4/IL-10 in response to hyphae or hyphal RNA. DCs pulsed with conidia or transfected with conidial RNA activated antigen-specific, interferon gamma (IFN-gamma)-producing T lymphocytes in vitro and in vivo on adoptive transfer in mice otherwise susceptible to aspergillosis. TH1-dependent antifungal resistance could also be induced in mice receiving allogeneic bone marrow transplants and was associated with an accelerated recovery of myeloid and lymphoid cells. Because the efficacy of the infusion of DCs was superior to that obtained on the adoptive transfer of Aspergillus-specific T cells, these results indicate the vaccinating potential of DCs pulsed with Aspergillus conidia or conidial RNA in hematopoietic transplantation.
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Section, Department of Experimental Medicine and Biochemical Sciences, University of Perugia, Via del Giochetto, 06122 Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bozza
authors.forename: Katia
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Perruccio
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Montagnoli
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gaziano
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bellocchio
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Burchielli
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nkwanyuo
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pitzurra
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Velardi
authors.forename: Luigina
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Romani
mesh_terms: D019264:Adoptive Transfer / Q000379:methods*; D000818:Animals; D001228:Aspergillosis / Q000628:therapy*; D001230:Aspergillus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000637:transplantation; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006801:Humans; D007378:Interleukins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D012331:RNA, Fungal; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D014162:Transfection; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D015854:Up-Regulation; D014612:Vaccines
chemical_list: D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D007378:Interleukins; D012331:RNA, Fungal; D014612:Vaccines