Commitment to dendritic cells and monocytes

Efferocytosis in dendritic cells: an overlooked immunoregulatory process

Efferocytosis, the process of engulfing and removing apoptotic cells, plays an essential role in preserving tissue health and averting undue inflammation. While macrophages are primarily known for this task, dendritic cells (DCs) also play a significant role. This review delves into the unique contributions of various DC subsets to efferocytosis, highlighting the distinctions in how DCs and macrophages recognize and handle apoptotic cells. It further explores how efferocytosis influences DC maturation, thereby affecting immune tolerance. This underscores the pivotal role of DCs in orchestrating immune responses and sustaining immune equilibrium, providing new insights into their function in immune regulation.

Morphology of the immune cells in the wall of the human uterine tube and their possible impact on reproduction-uterine tube as a possible immune privileged organ

The uterine tube, as well as other parts of the upper female reproductive system, is immunologically unique in its requirements for tolerance to allogenic sperm and semi-allogenic embryos, yet responds to an array of sexually transmitted pathogens. To understand this dichotomy, there is a need to understand the functional morphology of immune cells in the wall of the uterine tube. Thus, we reviewed scientific literature regarding immune cells and the human uterine tube by using the scientific databases. The human uterine tube has a diverse population of immunocompetent cells representing both the innate and adaptive immune systems. We describe in detail the possible roles of cells of the mononuclear phagocyte system (macrophages and dendritic cells), T and B lymphocytes, natural killer cells, neutrophils and mast cells in association with the reproductive functions of uterine tubes. We are also discussing about the possible "immune privilege" of the uterine tube, as another mechanism to tolerate sperm and embryo without eliciting an inflammatory immune response. In uterine tube is not present an anatomical blood-tissue barrier between antigens and circulation. However, the immune cells of the uterine tube probably represent a type of "immunological barrier," which probably includes the uterine tube among the immunologically privileged organs. Understanding how immune cells in the female reproductive tract play roles in reproduction is essential to understand not only the mechanisms of gamete transport and fertilization as well as embryo transport through the uterine tube, but also in improving results from assisted reproduction.

Human dendritic cell subsets in the glioblastoma-associated microenvironment

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most aggressive type of glioma (Grade IV). The presence of cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTLs) has been associated with improved outcomes in patients with GBM, and it is believed that the activation of CTLs by dendritic cells may play a critical role in controlling the growth of GBM. DCs are professional antigen-presenting cells (APC) that orchestrate innate and adaptive anti-GBM immunity. DCs can subsequently differentiate into plasmacytoid DCs (pDC), conventional DC1 (cDC1), conventional (cDC2), and monocyte-derived DCs (moDC) depending on environmental exposure. The different subsets of DCs exhibit varying functional capabilities in antigen presentation and T cell activation in producing an antitumor response. In this review, we focus on recent studies describing the phenotypic and functional characteristics of DC subsets in humans and their respective antitumor immunity and immunotolerance roles in the GBM-associated microenvironment. The critical components of crosstalk between DC subsets that contribute significantly to GBM-specific immune responses are also highlighted in this review with reference to the latest literature. Since DCs could be prime targets for therapeutic intervention, it is worth summarizing the relevance of DC subsets with respect to GBM-associated immunologic tolerance and their therapeutic potential.

Research Progress of Dendritic Cell Surface Receptors and Targeting

Dendritic cells are the only antigen-presenting cells capable of activating naive T cells in humans and mammals and are the most effective antigen-presenting cells. With deepening research, it has been found that dendritic cells have many subsets, and the surface receptors of each subset are different. Specific receptors targeting different subsets of DCs will cause different immune responses. At present, DC-targeted research plays an important role in the treatment and prevention of dozens of related diseases in the clinic. This article focuses on the current status of DC surface receptors and targeted applications.

Dendritic cells in energy balance regulation

Besides their well-known role in initiating adaptive immune responses, several groups have studied the role of dendritic cells (DCs) in the context of chronic metabolic inflammation, such as in diet-induced obesity (DIO) or metabolic-associated fatty liver disease. DCs also have an important function in maintaining metabolic tissue homeostasis in steady-state conditions. In this review, we will briefly describe the different DC subsets, the murine models available to assess their function, and discuss the role of DCs in regulating energy balance and maintaining tissue homeostasis.

Chromatin structure undergoes global and local reorganization during murine dendritic cell development and activation

Classical dendritic cells (cDCs) are essential for immune responses and differentiate from hematopoietic stem cells via intermediate progenitors, such as monocyte-DC progenitors (MDPs) and common DC progenitors (CDPs). Upon infection, cDCs are activated and rapidly express host defense-related genes, such as those encoding cytokines and chemokines. Chromatin structures, including nuclear compartments and topologically associating domains (TADs), have been implicated in gene regulation. However, the extent and dynamics of their reorganization during cDC development and activation remain unknown. In this study, we comprehensively determined higher-order chromatin structures by Hi-C in DC progenitors and cDC subpopulations. During cDC differentiation, chromatin activation was initially induced at the MDP stage. Subsequently, a shift from inactive to active nuclear compartments occurred at the cDC gene loci in CDPs, which was followed by increased intra-TAD interactions and loop formation. Mechanistically, the transcription factor IRF8, indispensable for cDC differentiation, mediated chromatin activation and changes into the active compartments in DC progenitors, thereby possibly leading to cDC-specific gene induction. Using an infection model, we found that the chromatin structures of host defense-related gene loci were preestablished in unstimulated cDCs, indicating that the formation of higher-order chromatin structures prior to infection may contribute to the rapid responses to pathogens. Overall, these results suggest that chromatin structure reorganization is closely related to the establishment of cDC-specific gene expression and immune functions. This study advances the fundamental understanding of chromatin reorganization in cDC differentiation and activation.