title: Murine aortic smooth muscle cells acquire, though fail to present exogenous protein antigens on major histocompatibility complex class II molecules.
abstract: In the present study aortic murine smooth muscle cell (SMC) antigen presentation capacity was evaluated using the Eα-GFP/Y-Ae system to visualize antigen uptake through a GFP tag and tracking of Eα peptide/MHCII presentation using the Y-Ae Ab. Stimulation with IFN-γ (100 ng/mL) for 72 h caused a significant (P < 0.01) increase in the percentage of MHC class II positive SMCs, compared with unstimulated cells. Treatment with Eα-GFP (100 μg/mL) for 48 h induced a significant (P < 0.05) increase in the percentage of GFP positive SMCs while it did not affect the percentage of Y-Ae positive cells, being indicative of antigen uptake without its presentation in the context of MHC class II. After IFN-γ-stimulation, ovalbumin- (OVA, 1 mg/mL) or OVA323-339 peptide-(0.5 μg/mL) treated SMCs failed to induce OT-II CD4(+) T cell activation/proliferation; this was also accompanied by a lack of expression of key costimulatory molecules (OX40L, CD40, CD70, and CD86) on SMCs. Finally, OVA-treated SMCs failed to induce DO11.10-GFP hybridoma activation, a process independent of costimulation. Our results demonstrate that while murine primary aortic SMCs express MHC class II and can acquire exogenous antigens, they fail to activate T cells through a failure in antigen presentation and a lack of costimulatory molecule expression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy ; Centre for Immunobiology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, 120 University Place, Glasgow G12 8TA, UK ; Novartis Vaccines, Via Fiorentina 1, 53100 Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Marcella
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maddaluno
authors.affiliation: Centre for Immunobiology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, 120 University Place, Glasgow G12 8TA, UK.
authors.forename: Neil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: MacRitchie
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy ; Centre for Immunobiology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, 120 University Place, Glasgow G12 8TA, UK.
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Grassia
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Armando
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ialenti
authors.affiliation: Centre for Immunobiology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, 120 University Place, Glasgow G12 8TA, UK.
authors.forename: John P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Butcher
authors.affiliation: Centre for Immunobiology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, 120 University Place, Glasgow G12 8TA, UK.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Garside
authors.affiliation: Centre for Immunobiology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, 120 University Place, Glasgow G12 8TA, UK.
authors.forename: James M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Brewer
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy ; Centre for Immunobiology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, 120 University Place, Glasgow G12 8TA, UK.
authors.forename: Pasquale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Maffia
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017951:Antigen Presentation; D001011:Aorta / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000276:immunology; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D032389:Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / Q000276:immunology*; D010455:Peptides / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D010455:Peptides