Acetylcholine polarizes dendritic cells toward a Th2-promoting profile

GORI, MARÍA SOLEDAD; VERMEULEN, MÓNICA; REMES LENICOV, FEDERICO; SABBIONE, FLORENCIA; JANCIC, CAROLINA; SCORDO, WALTER; CEBALLOS, ANA; TOWSTYKA, NADIA; GEFFNER, JORGE; SALAMONE, GABRIELA

Buenos Aires

Congreso; 63 Reunión Anual de la Sociedad Argentina de Inmunología. 2da FAIC; 2015

Sociedad Argentina de Inmunología - LASID

Background: A growing body of research shows a reciprocal regulationbetween the neural and immune systems. Acetylcholine (ACh) is the mostimportant parasympathetic neurotransmitter and increasing evidence indicates thatit is able to modulate the immune response. Interestingly, in recent years ithas become clear that immune cells express a non neuronal cholinergic system, whichis stimulated in the course of inflammatory processes. We have previously shownthat dendritic cells (DC) express muscarinic receptors, as well as the enzymesresponsible for the synthesis and degradation of ACh. Here, we analyzed whetherACh could also modulate the functional profile of DC. Methods: Dendritic cells were obtained from monocytes cultured for5 days with GM-CSF+IL-4. The phenotype of DC was evaluated by flow cytometryand the production of cytokines analyzed by ELISA or intracellular staining andflow cytometry. RESULTS: Treatment of DC with ACh stimulated the expression ofthe Th2-promoter OX40L (p<0.01), the production of the Th2-chemokinesMDC (macrophage-derived chemokine/CCL22)and TARC (thymus andactivation-regulated chemokine/CCL17) (p<0.05),and the synthesis ofIL-13 by T cells (p<0.05), in the course of the mixed-lymphocytereaction (MLR). Moreover, we found that the stimulation ofOX40L, HLA-DR andCD83 expression in DC induced by the Th2-promoting cytokine TSLP, as well asthe production of IL-13 and TNF-alpha by T cells in the course of the MLR wasfurther enhanced when DC were treated with TSLP plus ACh, instead of TSLP orACh alone (p<0.05). Conclusions:Our observations suggest that ACh polarizes DC toward a Th2-promoting profile.