MHC class II signaling function is regulated during maturation of plasmacytoid dendritic cells.
Dendritic cells (DC) play a central role in the immune response, linking innate and adaptative responses to pathogens. Myeloid DC (MDC) produce interleukin-12 in response to bacterial stimuli, whereas plasmacytoid DC (PDC) produce high levels of type I interferon upon viral infection. Human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DR engagement has been shown to induce apoptosis in various antigen-presenting cells (APC). We now report the consequences of HLA-DR molecule engagement in human PDC, which had thus far not been studied as a result of the difficulty in isolating such cells. HLA-DR engagement on PDC, obtained using a two-step, immunomagnetic separation, led to recruitment of HLA-DR molecules at the site of engagement in mature but not immature PDC. In contrast, relocalization of protein kinase C (PKC) isoenzymes, indicating PKC activation, was observed at the site of HLA-DR engagement and was accompanied by relocalization of a lipid raft marker, the ganglioside M1 staining, in immature and mature PDC. Similar to MDC, HLA-DR-mediated apoptosis was regulated throughout PDC maturation. Freshly isolated PDC were resistant, whereas CD40 ligand-matured PDC were sensitive to HLA-DR-mediated apoptosis. Neither caspase activation nor PKC activation was required for HLA-DR-mediated apoptosis. However, the intrinsic pathway of apoptosis was implicated as mature PDC underwent mitochondrial depolarization in response to HLA-DR engagement. These data provide further arguments for considering HLA-DR-mediated apoptosis as a conserved mechanism of regulating survival of diverse APC and support the ongoing development of humanized ligands for HLA class II molecules as therapeutic tools for use in lymphoproliferative disease.
Drénou
Bernard
B
Laboratoire d'Hématologie et de Biologie des Cellules Sanguines (UPRES 22-33), Faculté de Médicine, Rennes, Cedex, France.
Amiot
Laurence
L
Setterblad
Niclas
N
Taque
Sophie
S
Guilloux
Valérie
V
Charron
Dominique
D
Fauchet
Renée
R
Mooney
Nuala
N
D017209:Apoptosis / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000032:analysis / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D021962:Membrane Microdomains / Q000276:immunology; D010950:Plasma Cells / Q000276:immunology; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000276:immunology*
D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D011493:Protein Kinase C