Differential antigen processing by dendritic cell subsets in vivo

Dendritic cells (DCs) process and present self and foreign antigens to induce tolerance or immunity. In vitro models suggest that induction of immunity is controlled by regulating the presentation of antigen, but little is known about how DCs control antigen presentation in vivo. To examine antigen processing and presentation in vivo we specifically targeted antigens to the two major subsets of DCs using chimeric monoclonal antibodies. Unlike CD8+ DCs that express the cell surface protein CD205, CD8- DCs, which are positive for the 33D1 antigen, are specialized for presentation on MHC class II. This difference in antigen processing is intrinsic to the DC subsets and associated with increased expression of proteins associated with MHC processing. Keywords: cell type comparison of wildtype and Flt3L melonom spleen DCs and splenic B cells, CD4 and CD8 T cells This study includes data from cell sort purified dendritic cells, B cells and CD4 and CD8 T cells. The genearray was performed to identify the transmembrane molecule recognized by the antibody 33D1. The antibody 33D1 binds specifically to CD8-CD11cHigh DCs in the spleen. Therfore the data set was reduced in this way that all molecules that are expressed either in CD8=CD11cHigh DCs, B cells and T cells were diminished of the CD8+CD11cHigh DC data set. This Genearray was also used to analyze MHC class I and MHC class II associated moelcules as the DC subsets differ in the antigen presentation. Each Series consists of 3 individuall samples