Glycoconjugates from <i>F</i>. <i>hepatica</i> interact with and are uptaken by BMDCs in a process mediated by Man-specific CLRs.

BMDCs were incubated with Alexa 647-labeled FhTE for 1 h at 37°C in complete medium (to assess uptake), or at 4°C in complete medium (to assess binding) in presence or absence of EDTA (5 mM) and analyzed by flow cytometry on CD11c+ cells (A). Atto-labeled-FhTE, FhCB (control) or FhmPox (oxidized FhTE) were also incubated with BMDC and analyzed in the same conditions as in A (B). Inhibition assays with carbohydrates were carried out on BMDCs pre-incubated with 50 mM of different carbohydrates or laminarin for 30 min (C). Asterisks indicate statistically significant differences (p < 0.01) with respect to BMDC incubated with FhTE.