Published online before print June 18, 2009
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* Protein Engineering and Comparative Immunology, Department of Agricultural Biotechnology and Research Institute for Agriculture and Life Sciences, and
Department of Oral Microbiology and Immunology, BK21 Program, and Dental Research Institute, School of Dentistry, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea; and
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology and
Center for Advanced Medical Education by BK21 Project, College of Medicine, Inha University, Incheon, Republic of Korea
1. Correspondence: Protein Engineering and Comparative Immunology, Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-921, Republic of Korea. E-mail: cyun{at}snu.ac.kr
ABSTRACT
This study was performed to provide insight for the optimization and regulation of immune homeostasis, which should be taken into account in the development of cell therapy using DCs and/or cytokine. Human CBDCs costimulated with LPS and IL-12 were examined for cytokine expression compared with ABDCs. Our results showed that costimulation with IL-12 and LPS in CBDCs resulted in increased expression of IL-23. Concomitantly, the phosphorylation of ERKs and p38 MAPK was increased, suggesting that these kinases are important signaling components for IL-23 induction in CBDC costimulated with LPS and IL-12. Furthermore, production of IL-23 in CBDC costimulated with LPS and IL-12 caused CD4+CD45RO+ memory cells to increase IFN-
production. Taken together, CBDCs, costimulated with LPS and IL-12, show a synergistic increase in IL-23 production via enhanced phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and p38 MAPK and consequently, an induction of IFN-
production in the memory cells.
Key Words: human antigen-presenting cells cytokines