DataSheet_1_Differential expression of nuclear hormone receptors by dendritic cell subsets in human vaginal mucosa and skin.pdf

Nuclear hormone receptors (NHRs) expressed by dendritic cells (DCs), the major immune inducers and regulators, could play important roles in host immunity. Assessment of NHRs expressed by DCs in the vaginal mucosa (VM), in comparison with those expressed by DCs in other tissues, will thus help us understand the immunology of human vagina. This study identified 16 NHR transcripts that are differentially expressed among 8 different antigen-presenting cell (APC) subsets isolated from human VM, skin, and blood. The expression profiles of NHRs were largely tissue specific. VM APCs expressed increased levels of LXRA, RXRA, ESRRA, ESRRAP2, and PPARG, whereas skin and blood APCs expressed increased levels of NURR1, NOR1 and RARA. Of interest, female sex hormone receptors, ESR1 and PGR, were found to be mainly expressed by non-APC cell types in the VM; ESR1 by HLA-DR+CD34+ and PGR by HLA-DR- cells. ERα and PR were expressed by vimentin+ cells in the VM, but not in human skin. ERα, but not PR, was also expressed in CD10+ cells in the lamina propria of VM. In conclusion, NHR expression by APC subsets is tissue- and cell type-specific. Future studies on the roles of individual NHRs expressed by different cell types, including DC subsets, in the human VM are warranted.

作为机体主要的免疫诱导与调控因子，树突状细胞（DCs）所表达的核激素受体（NHRs）可能在宿主免疫中发挥关键作用。因此，对比分析阴道黏膜（VM）内DCs所表达的NHRs与其他组织DCs的NHRs表达情况，将有助于我们解析人类阴道的免疫学特性。本研究从人类阴道黏膜、皮肤及血液中分离得到8种不同的抗原呈递细胞（APC）亚群，从中鉴定出16个存在差异表达的NHR转录本。NHRs的表达谱在很大程度上呈现组织特异性：阴道黏膜的抗原呈递细胞高表达LXRA、RXRA、ESRRA、ESRRAP2及PPARG，而皮肤与血液中的抗原呈递细胞则高表达NURR1、NOR1及RARA。值得注意的是，雌性激素受体ESR1（雌激素受体α，ERα）与PGR（孕激素受体，PR）主要由阴道黏膜内的非抗原呈递细胞表达：ESR1由HLA-DR+CD34+细胞表达，PGR则由HLA-DR-细胞表达。雌激素受体α（ERα）与孕激素受体（PR）由阴道黏膜内的波形蛋白阳性（vimentin+）细胞表达，但在人类皮肤中无此类表达。此外，雌激素受体α（而非孕激素受体）也在阴道黏膜固有层的CD10+细胞中表达。综上，抗原呈递细胞亚群的核激素受体表达具有组织与细胞类型特异性。未来需针对人类阴道黏膜内不同细胞类型（包括树突状细胞亚群）所表达的各类核激素受体的功能开展进一步研究。