0000000000263904
AUTHOR
Sonja Zahner
Beta-Catenin mediates tumor-induced immunosuppression by inhibiting cross-priming of CD8(+) T cells
Tumors activate -catenin in DCs to suppress CD8 immunity by inhibiting cross-priming; -catenin-suppressed CD8 immunity could be rescued by enhancing cross-priming. Whereas CD8(+) T cells are essential for anti-tumor immunity, tumors often evade CD8(+) T cell surveillance by immunosuppression. As the initiators of antigen-specific immune responses, DCs are likely to play a central role in regulating the balance between immunity and tolerance to tumor antigens and are specialized in their ability to cross-present exogenous tumor antigens on MHC class I molecules to initiate CD8(+) T cell immunity. However, it remains unclear whether and how tumors modulate DC functions to suppress CD8(+) T ce…
Multicolor fate mapping of Langerhans cell homeostasis
The adult epidermal Langerhans cell network is formed by adjacent proliferative units composed of dividing cells and their terminally differentiated daughter cells.
E-Cadherin is Dispensable to Maintain Langerhans Cells in the Epidermis.
The cell adhesion molecule E-cadherin is a major component of adherens junctions and marks Langerhans cells (LC), the only dendritic cell (DC) population of the epidermis. LC form a dense network and attach themselves to the surrounding keratinocytes via homophilic E-cadherin binding. LC activation, mobilization, and migration require a reduction in LC E-cadherin expression. To determine whether E-cadherin plays a role in regulating LC homeostasis and function, we generated CD11c-specific E-cadherin knockout mice (CD11c-Ecaddel). In the absence of E-cadherin−mediated cell adhesion, LC numbers remained stable and similar as in control mice, even in aged animals. Intriguingly, E-cadherin−defi…
Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor in Keratinocytes Is Essential for Murine Skin Barrier Integrity.
The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor involved in adaptive cell functions, and it is highly active in the epidermis. AhR ligands can accelerate keratinocyte differentiation, but the precise role of AhR in the skin barrier is unknown. Our study showed that transepidermal water loss, a parameter of skin barrier integrity, is high in AhR-deficient mice. Experiments with conditionally AhR-deficient mouse lines identified keratinocytes as the primary cell population responsible for high transepidermal water loss. Electron microscopy showed weaker intercellular connectivity in the epidermis of keratinocytes in AhR-knockout mice, and gene expression analysi…
Langerinneg conventional dendritic cells produce IL-23 to drive psoriatic plaque formation in mice.
Psoriasis is an autoinflammatory skin disease of unknown etiology. Topical application of Aldara cream containing the Toll-like receptor (TLR)7 agonist Imiquimod (IMQ) onto patients induces flares of psoriasis. Likewise, in mice IMQ triggers pathological changes closely resembling psoriatic plaque formation. Key cytokines like IL-23 and type-I IFN (IFN-I), both being produced mainly by dendritic cells (DCs), have been implicated in psoriasis. Although plasmacytoid DCs (pDCs) are the main source of IFNα and thought to initiate disease, conventional DCs (cDCs) appear to maintain the psoriatic lesions. Any role of cDCs during lesion formation remains elusive. Here, we report that selective ac…