title: Decreased blood dendritic cell counts in type 1 diabetic children.
abstract: In this study DC numbers, phenotype and DC responses to the Toll-like receptor (TLR)-3 ligand, poly I:C, were examined in new-onset Type 1 diabetes (T1D) patients (ND) and in established T1D patients (ED). Absolute blood myeloid DC (MDC) and plasmacytoid DC (PDC) numbers were decreased in ND and ED patients compared to age-matched controls. The decrease in MDC and PDC counts was less evident in patients with a combination of T1D and coeliac disease (CD) or CD alone. The age-dependent decline in blood DC numbers, found in control children, was not evident in ND patients, such that 2-10 years old ND children had similar MDC and PDC numbers to 15-17 years old controls. In ED patients the t-score of MDC and PDC numbers related to the age of diagnosis but not to disease duration. Blood DC in T1D patients were not distinguished from those of controls by the levels of HLA-DR, CD40 and CD86 expression or the percentage of DC expressing cytokines, IL-12, IL-10, IL-6 and TNF-alpha, in responses to poly I:C. If low DC numbers are shown to contribute to the autoimmunity in T1D, interventions aimed to increase DC numbers may mitigate against beta-cell loss.
authors.affiliation: Mater Medical Research Institute, Aubigny Place, Raymond Tce, South Brisbane, QLD 4101, Australia. svuckovic@mmri.mater.org.au
authors.forename: Slavica
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vuckovic
authors.forename: Geoff
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Withers
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: Dalia
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Khalil
authors.forename: Damien
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gardiner
authors.forename: Inge
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Flesch
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tepes
authors.forename: Ristan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Greer
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cowley
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cotterill
authors.forename: Derek N J
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Hart
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications; D002452:Cell Count; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D007223:Infant; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000378:metabolism; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000378:metabolism; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008297:Male; D009000:Monocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D011070:Poly I-C / Q000494:pharmacology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016753:Interleukin-10; D018664:Interleukin-12; D011070:Poly I-C