IL-21 enhances dendritic cell ability to induce interferon-gamma production by natural killer T cells.
Interleukin (IL)-21 shows pleiotropic effects on the proliferation, differentiation, and effector functions of leukocytes. However, the influence of IL-21 on dendritic cell (DC) activation of natural killer T (NKT) cells has not yet been elucidated. In the present study, we examined the effect of IL-21 on murine myeloid DC ability to induce NKT cell production of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and IL-4. Pretreatment of DCs with IL-21 and alpha-galactosylceramide (alpha-GalCer), an NKT cell-specific ligand, resulted in the enhanced ability of the DCs to induce NKT cell production of IFN-gamma but not IL-4 in vitro compared to DCs pretreated with alpha-GalCer alone. A similar effect of IL-21 was observed when DCs pretreated with IL-21 and alpha-GalCer in vitro were transferred into naïve mice. Direct administration of IL-21 to the mice also enhanced IFN-gamma production after injection of alpha-GalCer. Thus, IL-21 can modify DC ability to selectively enhance NKT cell production of IFN-gamma upon stimulation with alpha-GalCer.
Division of Immunobiology, Institute for Genetic Medicine, Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, West 7 North 15, Sapporo 060-8638, Japan.
Masanori
M
Maeda
Yoshiki
Y
Yanagawa
Kazuya
K
Iwabuchi
Keita
K
Minami
Yuji
Y
Nakamaru
Dai
D
Takagi
Satoshi
S
Fukuda
Kazunori
K
Onoé
D000818:Animals; D051940:B7-2 Antigen / Q000276:immunology; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005699:Galactosylceramides / Q000276:immunology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007378:Interleukins / Q000276:immunology*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D000098546:Interleukin-21
D051940:B7-2 Antigen; C497965:Cd86 protein, mouse; D005699:Galactosylceramides; D007378:Interleukins; C493154:alpha-galactosylceramide; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D000098546:Interleukin-21