Effects of DKK-3, a Wnt signaling inhibitor, on dendritic cell phenotype and T cell polarization

H Mohammadpour, AA Pourfathollah… - …, 2015 - Taylor & Francis
Immunopharmacology and Immunotoxicology, 2015Taylor & Francis
Wnt signaling plays crucial roles in regulation of a wide range of processes in different cell
types including immune cells and, in particular, dendritic cells and T cells. Growing
indications point out that Wnt pathway components modulate the both innate and adaptive
immune responses through regulating DC functions. We investigated the effects of
recombinant DKK-3 protein on the phenotype and biological functions of bone marrow-
derived DCs (BM-DCs) as well as T cell polarization. The phenotype and the cytokine …
Abstract
Wnt signaling plays crucial roles in regulation of a wide range of processes in different cell types including immune cells and, in particular, dendritic cells and T cells. Growing indications point out that Wnt pathway components modulate the both innate and adaptive immune responses through regulating DC functions. We investigated the effects of recombinant DKK-3 protein on the phenotype and biological functions of bone marrow-derived DCs (BM-DCs) as well as T cell polarization. The phenotype and the cytokine production of BM-derived DCs in the presence DKK-3 were analyzed using flow cytometry and ELISA, respectively. Also, capability of DCs to activate T cells was evaluated by CFSE-labeled splenocytes. Regulatory T cell induction, T cell polarization, and cytokine secretion were assessed by flow cytometry and ELISA in splenocytes cultured in the presence of DKK-3. Our results showed that the expression of CD86 and CD40 increased in the DKK-3-treated DC, while the expression of PDL-1 and PDL-2 diminished. Furthermore, the presence of DKK-3 decreased IL-10 and IL-4 production and increased IFN-gamma production by treated DCs.DKK-3. Moreover, DKK-3 shifted naive CD4 T cells towards TH1 cells through up-regulation of T-bet and down-regulation of GATA-3. Our results, therefore, suggest that DKK-3 protein has the ability to promote the generation of Th1-immunostimulatory DCs from its precursors.
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