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Activated protein C targets CD8+ dendritic cells to reduce the mortality of endotoxemia in mice
Edward Kerschen, … , Francis J. Castellino, Hartmut Weiler
Edward Kerschen, … , Francis J. Castellino, Hartmut Weiler
Published August 16, 2010
Citation Information: J Clin Invest. 2010;120(9):3167-3178. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI42629.
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Research Article

Activated protein C targets CD8+ dendritic cells to reduce the mortality of endotoxemia in mice

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Abstract

Activated protein C (aPC) therapy reduces mortality in adult patients with severe sepsis. In mouse endotoxemia and sepsis models, mortality reduction requires the cell signaling function of aPC, mediated through protease-activated receptor–1 (PAR1) and endothelial protein C receptor (EPCR; also known as Procr). Candidate cellular targets of aPC include vascular endothelial cells and leukocytes. Here, we show that expression of EPCR and PAR1 on hematopoietic cells is required in mice for an aPC variant that mediates full cell signaling activity but only minimal anticoagulant function (5A-aPC) to reduce the mortality of endotoxemia. Expression of EPCR in mature murine immune cells was limited to a subset of CD8+ conventional dendritic cells. Adoptive transfer of splenic CD11chiPDCA-1– dendritic cells from wild-type mice into animals with hematopoietic EPCR deficiency restored the therapeutic efficacy of aPC, whereas transfer of EPCR-deficient CD11chi dendritic cells or wild-type CD11chi dendritic cells depleted of EPCR+ cells did not. In addition, 5A-aPC inhibited the inflammatory response of conventional dendritic cells independent of EPCR and suppressed IFN-γ production by natural killer–like dendritic cells. These data reveal an essential role for EPCR and PAR1 on hematopoietic cells, identify EPCR-expressing dendritic immune cells as a critical target of aPC therapy, and document EPCR-independent antiinflammatory effects of aPC on innate immune cells.

Authors

Edward Kerschen, Irene Hernandez, Mark Zogg, Shuang Jia, Martin J. Hessner, Jose A. Fernandez, John H. Griffin, Claudia S. Huettner, Francis J. Castellino, Hartmut Weiler

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Figure 2

EPCR is expressed in HSCs and spleen DCs.

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EPCR is expressed in HSCs and spleen DCs.
(A) Whole BM from 10 wild-type...
(A) Whole BM from 10 wild-type mice was pooled and fractionated by FACS into HSCs (Lin–Sca-1hic-kithi; Lin: CD3ε, CD4, CD8a, CD19, Ly6G, CD45R), granulocyte-macrophage progenitors (GMP: Lin–Sca-1–c-kit+CD34+FcRγII/IIIhi), common myeloid progenitors (CMP: Lin–Sca-1–c-kit+CD34+FcRγII/IIIlo), megakaryocytic erythroid progenitors (MEP: Lin–Sca-1–c-kit+CD34–FcRγII/IIIlo), or a progenitor mix (CMP, GMP, MEP, CLP: Lin–Sca-1–c-kitlo/–). Epcr and Gapdh mRNA were amplified by 35- and 30-cycle RT-PCR, respectively, from RNA isolated from sorted cell pools. (B) Detection of EPCR expression in wild-type splenocytes. Back-gating of EPCR-positive cells (gate P1, gray line indicates signal obtained with isotype control antibody) shows EPCR expression in CD11chiPDCA-1– DCs (red). (C) Abundance of EPCR-expressing CD11chiPDCA-1– DCs is diminished in EPCRlo mice. Spleen DCs were enriched by capture on CD11c/PDCA-1 magnetic beads and analyzed for EPCR expression as in B. (D) Detection of EPCR surface expression captures the majority of DCs expressing Epcr mRNA. Spleen DCs were enriched on magnetic beads as in C, and EPCR+ cells were isolated by FACS via gating on CD11chiPDCA-1– DCs, followed by sorting into EPCR+ and EPCR– CD11chiPDCA-1– cells (left panel, solid gray line: isotype control on post-sort EPCR+ cells; dotted red line: FITC intensity of post-sort EPCR-depleted CD11chiPDCA-1– cells; solid red line: FITC intensity of post-sort EPCR+ CD11chiPDCA-1– cells). Quantitative RT-PCR analysis of Epcr mRNA on sorted cells shows depletion of Epcr mRNA in cells lacking EPCR surface expression as detected by flow cytometry (right panel; bars indicate the average ± SD of the detection threshold expressed as the ΔCT value for Epcr mRNA determined in 2 independent sorting experiments, with 3 measurements/sample).

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ISSN: 0021-9738 (print), 1558-8238 (online)

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