Plasmacytoid dendritic cell depletion modifies FoxP3+ T cell homeostasis and the clinical course of bacterial pneumonia in mice

Lippitsch A, Baal N, Chukovetskyi Y, Cunningham S, Michel G, Dietert K, Gurtner C, Gruber AD, Bein G, Hackstein H (2019)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2019

Journal

Journal of Leukocyte Biology Society for Leukocyte Biology

DOI: 10.1002/JLB.3AB0119-014RR

Abstract

Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDC) are critical to antiviral defense because of their high production of type I IFNs; less is known regarding their functions in bacterial infection. Moreover, pDC are involved in immunomodulation. A stable pool of regulatory T cells (Treg) is crucial for maintaining immune homeostasis. However, interactions between pDC and Treg regarding the regulation of Treg homeostasis are understudied. By using BDCA2-DTR mice as a systemic pDC depletion model, we identified increased steady-state numbers of FoxP3+ T cells with an effector Treg-like phenotype in lungs, liver, and spleen tissues. During sublethal, pulmonary Klebsiella pneumoniae infection, pDC deficiency also elevated respiratory FoxP3+ T cell numbers. Additionally, the improvement in acute pneumonia survival until day 5 post infection was accompanied by impaired proinflammatory cytokine production. In contrast, pDC-depleted mice exhibited a delayed clinical recovery during the post-acute phase. Therefore, we assume that pDC act as immunomodulators supporting the rapid onset of immune response in a proinflammatory manner and regulate inflammation or tissue regeneration in the post-acute phase. In summary, pDC assist in FoxP3+ T cell homeostasis and the regulation of Klebsiella-pneumonia progression.

Authors with CRIS profile

Sarah Cunningham Department of Transfusion Medicine and Haemostaseology Holger Hackstein Professur für Transfusionsmedizin und Cell-Engineering

Involved external institutions

Universitätsklinikum Gießen und Marburg (UKGM) DE Germany (DE) Freie Universität Berlin DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Lippitsch, A., Baal, N., Chukovetskyi, Y., Cunningham, S., Michel, G., Dietert, K.,... Hackstein, H. (2019). Plasmacytoid dendritic cell depletion modifies FoxP3+ T cell homeostasis and the clinical course of bacterial pneumonia in mice. Journal of Leukocyte Biology. https://doi.org/10.1002/JLB.3AB0119-014RR

MLA:

Lippitsch, Anne, et al. "Plasmacytoid dendritic cell depletion modifies FoxP3+ T cell homeostasis and the clinical course of bacterial pneumonia in mice." Journal of Leukocyte Biology (2019).

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