p38 MAPK signaling mediates retinoic acid-induced CD103 expression in human dendritic cells.

Retinoic acid (RA) is an active derivative of vitamin A and a key regulator of immune cell function. In dendritic cells (DCs), RA drives the expression of CD103 (integrin α ), a functionally relevant DC subset marker. In this study, we analyzed the cell type specificity and the molecular mechanisms involved in RA-induced CD103 expression.