title: Murine CD103+dendritic cells protect against steatosis progression towards steatohepatitis.
abstract: Non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) is the hepatic consequence of metabolic syndrome and can progress to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). The identification of molecular and cellular factors that determine the progression of NASH and lead to irreversible hepatocellular damage are crucial. Dendritic cells (DCs) represent a heterogeneous cell population among which CD103+DCs play a significant role in immunity and tolerance. We aimed to clarify the role of this DC subset in the pathomechanism of NASH.
  
  
  
  Steatosis progression towards steatohepatitis was analysed using multicolor FACS analyses, cytokine and qPCR array in high sucrose diet (HSD) and methionine and choline deficient diet (MCD) fed wild-type and basic leucine zipper transcription factor, ATF-Like-3 (Batf3) deficient animals, which lack CD103+DCs (classical type-1 DC, cDC1s).
  
  
  
  Metabolic challenge of Batf3-/-animals resulted in the progression of steatosis towards steatohepatitis, manifesting by an increased influx of inflammatory cells into the liver and elevated inflammatory cytokine production of myeloid cells upon innate stimuli. However, the lack of cDC1s did not affect cellular apoptosis and fibrosis progression but altered genes involved in lipid metabolism. The adoptive transfer of CD103+cDC1s to Batf3 deficient animals reversed these observed changes and more importantly could attenuate cellular damage and inflammation in established murine steatohepatitis.
  
  
  
  Here, we have identified the murine CD103+cDC1s as a protective DC subtype that influences the pro-anti-inflammatory balance and protects the liver from metabolic damage. As guardians of liver integrity, they play a key role in the inflammatory process during the development of steatohepatitis in mice.
  
  
  
  Non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) is the hepatic consequence of metabolic syndrome and can lead to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). The current study demonstrated that a specific murine dendritic cell subtype possesses a potent regulatory role to influence the inflammatory milieu of the liver in this process.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine II, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Eva-Carina
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Heier
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine II, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Meier
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine II, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Henrike
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Julich-Haertel
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathology and Department of Medicine II, University Hospital, RWTH Aachen, Germany.
authors.forename: Sonja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Djudjaj
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Würzburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rau
authors.affiliation: Insitute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Saarland, Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tschernig
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Würzburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Geier
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathology and Department of Medicine II, University Hospital, RWTH Aachen, Germany.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Boor
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine II, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lammert
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine II, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Germany. Electronic address: lukacsver@aol.com.
authors.forename: Veronika
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lukacs-Kornek
mesh_terms: D019264:Adoptive Transfer; D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism*; D050976:Basic-Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D018450:Disease Progression; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism; D039001:Integrin alpha Chains / Q000378:metabolism*; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D050976:Basic-Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors; D016207:Cytokines; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D039001:Integrin alpha Chains; D012097:Repressor Proteins; C533289:SNFT protein, mouse; C091367:alpha E integrins
keywords: Dendritic cells; Inflammation; NASH; Steatosis