title: Dendritic cell-associated lectin 2 (DCAL2) defines a distinct CD8α- dendritic cell subset.
abstract: CLRs on DCs play important roles in immunity and are expressed selectively on certain DC subsets. Murine DCAL2 (myeloid inhibitory C-type lectin/Clec12a) is a type-II CLR with an ITIM. Using a mouse DCAL2-specific mAb, we found that DCAL2 is expressed at relatively high levels on APCs and that DCAL2 expression can be used to divide CD8α- DCs into DCAL2+DCIR2- and DCAL2-DCIR2+ subpopulations. CD8α-DCAL2+ DC, CD8α-DCIR2+ DC, and CD8α+DCAL2+ DC subsets each express different levels of TLRs and respond to unique classes of TLR ligands by producing distinct sets of cytokines. Whereas CD8α-DCAL2+ DCs robustly produce cytokines, including IL-12, in response to CpG, CD8α-DCIR2+ DCs produce only TNF-α and IL-10 in modest amounts when stimulated with zymosan. However, CD8α-DCIR2+DCs, unlike the other DC subsets, strongly up-regulate OX40L when stimulated with bacterial flagellin. As predicted from their cytokine expression, CD8α-DCAL2+ DCs efficiently induced Th1 responses in the presence of CpG in vitro and in vivo, whereas CD8α-DCIR2+ DCs induced Th2 cells in response to flagellin. Thus, CD8α-DCAL2+ DCs comprise a distinct CD8α- DC subset capable of supporting Th1 responses. DCAL2 is a useful marker to identify a Th1-inducing CD8α- DC population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, University of Washington, 1959 N.E. Pacific St., Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kasahara
authors.forename: Edward A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Clark
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000145:classification* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D037181:Lectins, C-Type / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D041681:NIH 3T3 Cells; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D011975:Receptors, Mitogen / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016827:CD8 Antigens; C529398:CLEC12A protein, mouse; D016207:Cytokines; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011975:Receptors, Mitogen; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors