title: Dendritic cells in intestinal homeostasis and disease.
abstract: DCs are specialized APCs that orchestrate innate and adaptive immune responses. The intestinal mucosa contains numerous DCs, which induce either protective immunity to infectious agents or tolerance to innocuous antigens, including food and commensal bacteria. Several subsets of mucosal DCs have been described that display unique functions, dictated in part by the local microenvironment. In this review, we summarize the distinct subtypes of DCs and their distribution in the gut; examine how DC dysfunction contributes to intestinal disease development, including inflammatory bowel disease and celiac disease; and discuss manipulation of DCs for therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology, Milan, Italy. maria.rescigno@ifom-ieo-campus.it
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rescigno
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Di Sabatino
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology*; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D018928:Immunity, Mucosal; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D007410:Intestinal Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D007422:Intestines / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D018448:Models, Immunological