DEC-205 is a cell surface receptor for CpG oligonucleotides.

We have recently demonstrated that synthetic CpG oligonucleotides (ODNs), which function as potent immunostimulators, bind to the multi-lectin receptor DEC-205, resulting in their internalization. DEC-205-deficient mice exhibit impaired dendritic-cell and B-cell maturation, impaired cytokine responses and suboptimal cytotoxic T-cell responses. As murine and human DEC-205 are highly conserved, CpG ODNs destined to clinical applications should be designed to maximize DEC-205 binding.

DEC-205 is a cell surface receptor for CpG oligonucleotides.

Synthetic CpG oligonucleotides (ODN) have potent immunostimulatory properties exploited in clinical vaccine trials. How CpG ODN are captured and delivered to the intracellular receptor TLR9, however, has been elusive. Here we show that DEC-205, a multilectin receptor expressed by a variety of cells, is a receptor for CpG ODN.

Serpinb9 (Spi6)-deficient mice are impaired in dendritic cell-mediated antigen cross-presentation.

Serpinb9 (Sb9, also called Spi6) is an intracellular inhibitor of granzyme B (GrB) that protects activated cytotoxic lymphocytes from apoptosis. We show here that the CD8(+) subset of splenic dendritic cells (DC), specialized in major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC I) presentation of exogenous antigens (cross-presentation), produce high levels of Sb9. Mice deficient in Sb9 are unable to generate a cytotoxic T-cell response against cell-associated antigen by cross-presentation, but maintain normal MHC-II presentation to helper T cells.

Prolonged antigen survival and cytosolic export in cross-presenting human gammadelta T cells.

Human blood Vgamma9Vdelta2 T cells respond to signals from microbes and tumors and subsequently differentiate into professional antigen-presenting cells (gammadelta T-APCs) for induction of CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cell responses. gammadelta T-APCs readily take up and degrade exogenous soluble protein for peptide loading on MHC I, in a process termed antigen cross-presentation. The mechanisms underlying antigen cross-presentation are ill-defined, most notably in human dendritic cells (DCs), and no study has addressed this process in gammadelta T-APCs.

Potent and broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity of CXCL14 suggests an immediate role in skin infections.

The skin is constantly exposed to commensal microflora and pathogenic microbes. The stratum corneum of the outermost skin layer employs distinct tools such as harsh growth conditions and numerous antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) to discriminate between beneficial cutaneous microflora and harmful bacteria. How the skin deals with microbes that have gained access to the live part of the skin as a result of microinjuries is ill defined.

Constitutive expression of CXCL14 in healthy human and murine epithelial tissues.

CXCL14 (BRAK) is an ill-described chemokine with unknown receptor selectivity. The human chemokine is constitutively expressed in epithelial tissues and is selective for dendritic cell precursors, indicating a possible function in the maintenance of epithelial DCs. Several studies have addressed the question of human CXCL14 expression in cancerous tissues; however, distribution in healthy tissues and, in particular, the cellular origin of this chemokine has not been thoroughly investigated.

Murine CXCL14 is dispensable for dendritic cell function and localization within peripheral tissues.

Dendritic cells (DCs) have long been recognized as key regulators of immune responses. However, the process of their recruitment to peripheral tissues and turnover during homeostasis remains largely unknown. The chemokine CXCL14 (BRAK) is constitutively expressed in skin and other epithelial tissues.

Homing and function of human skin gammadelta T cells and NK cells: relevance for tumor surveillance.

Normal (noninflamed) human skin contains a network of lymphocytes, but little is known about the homing and function of these cells. The majority of alphabeta T cells in normal skin express CCR8 and produce proinflammatory cytokines. In this study we examined other subsets of cutaneous lymphocytes, focusing on those with potential function in purging healthy tissue of transformed and stressed cells.