Cutting edge: limited specialization of dendritic cell subsets for MHC class II-associated presentation of viral particles

J Immunol. 2010 Jan 1;184(1):26-9. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.0901540. Epub 2009 Nov 30.

Abstract

Dendritic cells (DCs) are the most important APC. It was recently reported that there is a dichotomy for Ag presentation by DC subsets; exogenous Ags reach the MHC class I pathway, but not the MHC class II pathway, in CD8(+) DCs, whereas CD8(-) DCs only process Ags for the MHC class II pathway. In this study, we used virus-like particles (VLPs) to show that CD8(+) and CD8(-) DCs efficiently capture and process VLPs for presentation in association with MHC class II in vivo. In contrast, CD8(+) DCs, but not CD8(-) DCs, cross presented VLP-derived peptides. This pattern was changed in an FcgammaR-dependent fashion in the presence of VLP-specific Abs, because under those conditions both DC subsets failed to efficiently cross present. Thus, the presentation of viral particles to CD4(+) T cells is not restricted to distinct DC subsets, whereas the presentation of viral particles to CD8(+) T cells is limited to CD8(+) DCs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antigen Presentation / immunology*
  • Antigens, Viral / immunology
  • CD8 Antigens / immunology
  • Cross-Priming / immunology
  • Dendritic Cells / immunology*
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / immunology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Virion / immunology*

Substances

  • Antigens, Viral
  • CD8 Antigens
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class II