Intestinal DC in migrational imprinting of immune cells.

Journal article

Dendritic cells (DCs) have a pivotal role in instructing antigen-specific immune responses, processing and presenting antigens to CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells and producing factors capable to modulate the quality of T-cell responses. In this review, we will provide an historic overview on the identification of the mechanisms controlling lymphocyte migration into the largest immune organ of the body: the gut, and we will describe how in recent years an unexpected role for DCs has emerged as the architects in programming gut-homing immune cells. Specifically, we will review how intestinal DCs utilize the dietary vitamin A metabolite retinoic acid (RA) to program gut-homing lymphocytes and how intestinal DCs acquire the unique capacity to become RA producers.

Authors: Stock, A; Napolitani, G; Cerundolo, V

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: Immunology and cell biology
• Volume: 91
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 240-249
• Publication date: 2013-03-01
• DOI: 10.1038/icb.2012.73
• EISSN: 1440-1711
• ISSN: 0818-9641
• Language: English
• Keywords: Cell Movement; Intestinal Mucosa; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes; Dendritic Cells; Humans; Vitamin A; Antigen Presentation; Animals; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes