Antigen presenting cells recognize pathogens via pattern recognition receptors (PRR), which upon ligation transduce intracellular signals that can induce innate immune responses. Because some C-type lectin-like receptors (e.g. dectin-1 and DC-SIGN) were shown to act as PRR for particular microbes, we considered a similar role for dectin-2. Binding assays using soluble dectin-2 receptors showed the extracellular domain to bind preferentially to hyphal (rather than yeast/conidial) components of Candida albicans, Microsporum audouinii, and Trichophyton rubrum. Selective binding for hyphae was also observed using RAW macrophages expressing dectin-2, the ligation of which by hyphae or cross-linking with dectin-2-specific antibody led to protein tyrosine phosphorylation. Because dectin-2 lacks an intracellular signaling motif, we searched for a signal adaptor that permits it to transduce intracellular signals. First, we found that the Fc receptor ␥ (FcR␥) chain can bind to dectin-2. Second, ligation of dectin-2 on RAW cells induced tyrosine phosphorylation of FcR␥, activation of NF-B, internalization of a surrogate ligand, and up-regulated secretion of tumor necrosis factor ␣ and interleukin-1 receptor antagonist. Finally, these dectin-2-induced events were blocked by PP2, an inhibitor of Src kinases that are mediators for FcR␥ chain-dependent signaling. We conclude that dectin-2 is a PRR for fungi that employs signaling through FcR␥ to induce innate immune responses.
We generated mice carrying a loss-of-function mutation in Brn-2, a gene encoding a nervous system specific POU transcription factor, by gene targeting in embryonic stem cells. In homozygous mutant embryos, migratory precursor cells for neurons of the paraventricular nuclei (PVN) and the supraoptic nuclei (SO) of the hypothalamus die at -E12.5. All homozygous mutants suffered mortality within 10 days after birth, possibly because of a complete deficiency of these neurons in the hypothalamus. Although neither developmental nor histological abnormalities were observed in heterozygous mice, the levels of expression of vasopressin and oxytocin in the hypothalamus of these animals were half these of wild-type mice. These results strongly suggest that Brn-2 plays an essential role in the determination and development of the PVN and SO neuronal lineages in the hypothalamus.
NF-kappaB is constitutively expressed in a resting state in both human cultured keratinocytes and the epidermis. Activation of NF-kappaB is required for PMA-induced keratinocyte growth arrest.
APCs express receptors recognizing microbes and regulating immune responses by binding to corresponding ligands on immune cells. Having discovered a novel inhibitory pathway triggered by ligation of DC-HIL on APC to a heparin/heparan sulfate-like saccharide of syndecan-4 on activated T cells, we posited DC-HIL can recognize microbial pathogens in a similar manner. We showed soluble recombinant DC-HIL to bind the dermatophytes Trichophyton rubrum and Microsporum audouinii, but not several bacteria nor Candida albicans. Dermatophyte binding was inhibited completely by the addition of heparin. Because DC-HIL contains an ITAM-like intracellular sequence, we questioned whether its binding to dermatophytes can induce tyrosine phosphorylation in dendritic cells (DC). Culturing DC with T. rubrum (but not with C. albicans pseudohyphae) induced phosphorylation of DC-HIL, but not when the tyrosine residue of the ITAM-like sequence was mutated to phenylalanine. To examine the functional significance of such signaling on DC, we cross-linked DC-HIL with mAb (surrogate ligand), which not only induced tyrosine phosphorylation but also up-regulated expression of 23 genes among 662 genes analyzed by gene-array, including genes for profilin-1, myristoylated alanine rich protein kinase C substrate like-1, C/EBP, LOX-1, IL-1β, and TNF-α. This cross-linking also up-regulated expression of the activation markers CD80/CD86 and heightened APC capacity of DC to activate syngeneic T cells. Our findings support a dual role for DC-HIL: inhibition of adaptive immunity following ligation of syndecan-4 on activated T cells and induction of innate immunity against dermatophytic fungi.
The expression of RANTES mRNA in dermal and colonic tissue was examined in patients with atopic dermatitis by the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction method. RANTES mRNA was detected in the colon in 8 of 10 patients and in 1 of 5 control patients. It was present in rashes in 9 of 10 patients and at non-eruptive sites in 5 of 7 patients. These findings suggest that RANTES is involved in eosinophil infiltration and T cell infiltration in atopic dermatitis.
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