Dendritic cells (DCs) are specialized antigen-presenting cells that are uniquely capable of either inducing immune responses or maintaining a state of self-tolerance, depending on their stage of maturation. In the present study, we describe a way to interfere with DCs maturation. The compound butyrate can affect the differentiation of DCs generated from human monocytes and can inhibit T cell proliferation. We demonstrate that butyrate substantially down-regulates the expression of CD80, CD83, and MHC class II molecules; increases endocytic capability; reduces allostimulatory abilities; promote interleukin-10 (IL-10) production; and inhibits interleukin-12 (IL-12) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) production. These results demonstrate a specific immune suppression property of butyrate and supports further investigation for butyrate as a new immunotherapeutic agent.
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