Abstract
Antigen presentation by mature dendritic cells (DCs) is the first step for initiating adaptive immune responses. DCs are composed of heterogeneous functional subsets; however, the molecular mechanisms that regulate differentiation of specific DC subsets are not understood. Here, we report that the basic leucine zipper transcription factor NFIL3/E4BP4 is essential for the development of CD8α+ conventional DCs (cDCs). Nfil3 -/- mice specifically lack CD8α+ cDCs but not CD8α+ cDCs or plasmacytoid DCs in lymphoid tissues. Flt3 ligand-dependent generation of CD8α+ cDCs in lymphoid tissues and CD8α+-equivalent cDCs from Nfil3-/- bone marrow cells was also impaired. NFIL3 regulates CD8α+ cDC development in part through Batf3 expression. Importantly, Nfil3-/- mice exhibited impaired cross-priming of CD8+ T cells against cellassociated antigen, a process normally performed by CD8α+ cDCs, and failed to produce IL-12 after TLR3 stimulation. Thus, NFIL3 plays an essential role in the development of CD8α+ cDCs.
Original language | English (US) |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 6193-6197 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | Blood |
Volume | 117 |
Issue number | 23 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jun 9 2011 |
Externally published | Yes |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Biochemistry
- Immunology
- Hematology
- Cell Biology