Sensitization to enhanced green fluorescence protein minor histocompatibility antigen by gene transduction into dendritic cells and peritoneal exudate macrophages.

Enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP) has been widely applied to gene transduction in cellular and molecular biology as a reporter element. When applied to cell transplantation, it raises fundamental issues concerning cell-associated antigens, in particular, a model of minor histocompatibility antigen(s). Although it is well known that immunological behavior of minor histocompatibility antigens mimic tumor associated antigens (TAA), identified genes coding minor histocompatibility antigens are few and far between.

Phenotype and function of GM-CSF independent dendritic cells generated by long-term propagation of rat bone marrow cells.

GM-CSF is believed to be an essential factor for growth and differentiation of myeloid dendritic cells (DC). Employing a low-density fraction of rat bone marrow cells, we attempted to generate DC with human Flt-3/Flk-2 and IL-6. In this culture system, typical DC gradually appeared without exogenous GM-CSF supplement.