A major lung CD103 (αE)-β7 integrin-positive epithelial dendritic cell population expressing Langerin and tight junction proteins

SSJ Sung, SM Fu, CE Rose, F Gaskin… - The Journal of …, 2006 - journals.aai.org
SSJ Sung, SM Fu, CE Rose, F Gaskin, ST Ju, SR Beaty
The Journal of Immunology, 2006journals.aai.org
Dendritic cells (DC) mediate airway Ag presentation and play key roles in asthma and
infections. Although DC subsets are known to perform different functions, their occurrence in
mouse lungs has not been clearly defined. In this study, three major lung DC populations
have been found. Two of them are the myeloid and plasmacytoid DC (PDC) well-
characterized in other lymphoid organs. The third and largest DC population is the integrin α
E (CD103) β 7-positive and IA high CD11c high-DC population. This population was found …
Abstract
Dendritic cells (DC) mediate airway Ag presentation and play key roles in asthma and infections. Although DC subsets are known to perform different functions, their occurrence in mouse lungs has not been clearly defined. In this study, three major lung DC populations have been found. Two of them are the myeloid and plasmacytoid DC (PDC) well-characterized in other lymphoid organs. The third and largest DC population is the integrin α E (CD103) β 7-positive and IA high CD11c high-DC population. This population was found to reside in the lung mucosa and the vascular wall, express a wide variety of adhesion and costimulation molecules, endocytose avidly, present Ag efficiently, and produce IL-12. Integrin α E β 7+ DC (αE-DC) were distinct from intraepithelial lymphocytes and distinguishable from CD11b high myeloid and mPDCA-1+ B220+ Gr-1+ PDC populations in surface marker phenotype, cellular functions, and tissue localization. Importantly, this epithelial DC population expressed high levels of the Langerhans cell marker Langerin and the tight junction proteins Claudin-1, Claudin-7, and ZO-2. In mice with induced airway hyperresponsiveness and eosinophilia, αE-DC numbers were increased in lungs, and their costimulation and adhesion molecules were up-regulated. These studies show that αE-DC is a major and distinct lung DC population and a prime candidate APC with the requisite surface proteins for migrating across the airway epithelia for Ag and pathogen capture, transport, and presentation. They exhibit an activated phenotype in allergen-induced lung inflammation and may play significant roles in asthma pathogenesis.
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