Skin-derived dendritic cells can mediate deletional tolerance of class I-restricted self-reactive T cells

J Immunol. 2007 Oct 1;179(7):4535-41. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.179.7.4535.

Abstract

Skin-draining lymph nodes contain a number of dendritic cell (DC) subsets of different origins. Some of these are migratory, such as the skin-derived epidermal Langerhans cells and a separate dermal DC subset, whereas others are lymphoid resident in nature, such as the CD8+ DCs found throughout the lymphoid tissues. In this study, we examine the DC subset presentation of skin-derived self-Ag by migratory and lymphoid-resident DCs, both in the steady state and under conditions of local skin infection. We show that presentation of self-Ag is confined to skin-derived migrating DCs in both settings. Steady state presentation resulted in deletional T cell tolerance despite these DCs expressing a relatively mature phenotype as measured by traditional markers such as the level of MHC class II and CD86 expression. Thus, self-Ag can be carried to the draining lymph nodes by skin-derived DCs and there presented by these same cells for tolerization of the circulating T cell pool.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antigen-Presenting Cells / immunology
  • Antigens / immunology
  • Autoimmunity / immunology*
  • Cell Differentiation
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Coculture Techniques
  • Dendritic Cells / cytology*
  • Dendritic Cells / immunology*
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / immunology*
  • Immune Tolerance / immunology*
  • Langerhans Cells / immunology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Ovalbumin / immunology
  • Skin / immunology*
  • T-Lymphocytes / cytology
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology*

Substances

  • Antigens
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class I
  • Ovalbumin