Human plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) are major producers of IFNα, are activated by CpG motifs, and are believed to enter lymph nodes (LNs) via L-selectin dependent extravasation across high endothelial venules. To identify a similar murine DC type, CD11c+ cells in the LNs of L-selectin–deficient and control BALB/c mice were compared, revealing a population of CD11c+CD11b− cells that is reduced 85% in the LNs of L-selectin–deficient mice. These cells are Gr-1+B220+CD19−, either CD4+ or CD8+, and localize within T cell zones of LNs. Freshly isolated CD11c+Gr-1+ cells express major histocompatibility complex class II at low levels, display a plasmacytoid morphology, and survive poorly in culture. Their survival is increased and they develop a DC-like morphology in interleukin 3 and CpG. Like human pDCs, CD11c+Gr-1+ cells stimulate T cell proliferation after activation with CpG and produce IFNα after stimulation with influenza virus. These cells also display a strain-specific variation in frequency, being fivefold increased in the LNs of BALB/c relative to C57BL/6 mice. These CD11c+CD11b−B220+Gr-1+ cells appear to be the murine equivalent of human pDCs.

TH1-polarized immune responses, which confer protection against intracellular pathogens, are thought to be initiated by dendritic cells (DCs) that enter lymph nodes from peripheral tissues. We found following viral infection or immunization, inflammatory monocytes were recruited into lymph nodes directly from the blood to become CD11c+CD11bhiGr-1+ inflammatory DCs, which produced abundant interleukin 12(p70) and potently stimulated TH1 responses. This monocyte extravasation required CCR2 but not CCL2 or CCR7. Thus, inflammatory DC accumulation and TH1 responses were markedly reduced in Ccr2−/−mice, preserved in Ccl2−/− mice, and relatively increased in CCL19-CCL21-Ser-deficient plt mutant mice, in which all other lymph node DC types were reduced. We conclude that blood-derived inflammatory DCs play a major role in the development of TH1 immune responses.

Initiation of nasopharyngeal-associated lymphoid tissue (NALT) development is independent of the programmed cytokine cascade necessary for the formation of Peyer's patches (PP) and peripheral lymph nodes (PLN), a cytokine cascade which consists of IL-7R, LTalpha1beta2/LTbetaR, and NIK. However, the subsequent organization of NALT seems to be controlled by these cytokine signaling cascades since the maturation of NALT structure is generally incomplete in those cytokine cascade-deficient mice. NALT as well as PP and PLN are completely absent in Id2(-/-) mice. NALT organogenesis is initiated following the adoptive transfer of CD3(-)CD4(+)CD45(+) cells into Id2(-/-) mice, constituting direct evidence that CD3(-)CD4(+)CD45(+) inducer cells can provide an IL-7R-, LTalpha1beta2/LTbetaR-, and NIK-independent tissue organogenesis pathway for secondary lymphoid tissue development.

The nasal mucosa, an important arm of the mucosal immune system, is the first site of contact with inhaled antigens to induce an IgA response. A major aim of this study was to characterize the Th1 and Th2 cytokine expression of mucosal T cells residing in nasal-associated lymphoid tissue (NALT) and nasal passages (NP) as IgA inductive and effector sites, respectively, at the transcription and cellular levels. An application of single-cell reverse transcription-PCR for analysis of Th1 (IFN-gamma) and Th2 (IL-4 and IL-6) cytokine-specific mRNA revealed the presence of CD4+ T cells with a Th0 profile in NALT, while high numbers of Th2 cytokine-specific mRNA expressed by CD4+ T cells were noted in NP followed by Th1-type cells. NALT CD3+ CD4+ T cells of Th0 type have the capacity to become Th1- and/or Th2-type cells since their activation via the TCR-CD3 complex resulted in the expression of an array of Th1 and Th2 cytokines. CD3+ CD4+ T cells from NP, but not NALT, provide a helper function for the induction of antibody-forming cells including IgA isotype in B cell cultures. These findings suggest that NALT is characterized by a Th0 environment which can gain a Th1 and/or Th2 phenotype. In contrast, NP is considered to be a Th2 dominant site with some Th1 cells that can support the induction of IgA-producing cells.