title: Efficient priming of antigen-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes by human cord blood dendritic cells.
abstract: Previous studies have suggested that defective immune responses in early life may be related to the immaturity of neonatal antigen-presenting cells. To test this hypothesis, we assessed the capacity of neonatal dendritic cells (DC) to prime and polarize in vitro human naive antigen-specific T cells. We report that mature cord blood DC efficiently prime an oligoclonal population of antigen-specific CD8 T cells, capable of cytolytic activity and IFN-gamma secretion. In contrast, cells primed by immature cord blood DC do not acquire cytolytic activity and secrete lower amounts of IFN-gamma. Upon priming by either immature or mature DC, neonatal T cells acquire markers of activation and differentiation towards effector-memory cells. Our results demonstrate that, if appropriately activated, neonatal DC can prime efficient cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses. Furthermore, these findings have important implications for the development of vaccine strategies in early life and for the reconstitution of a functional CTL repertoire after bone marrow transplantation.
mesh_terms: D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000276:immunology; D002460:Cell Line; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D010455:Peptides / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D010455:Peptides; D007371:Interferon-gamma