Acetylcholine polarizes dendritic cells toward a Th2-promoting profile

GORI, SOLEDAD; VERMEULEN, MONICA E.; REMES-LENICOV, FEDERICO; SABBIONE, FLORENCIA; JANCIC, CAROLINA; SCORDO, WALTER; CEBALLOS, ANA; TOWSTYKA, NADIA; GEFFNER, JORGE; SALAMONE, GABRIELA

Buenos Aires

Congreso; Congreso Internacional SAI-FAIC; 2015

Sociedad Franco Argentina de Inmunología

Abstract: Background: A growing body of research shows a reciprocal regulation between the neural and immune systems. Acetylcholine (ACh) is the most important parasympathetic neurotransmitter and increasing evidence indicates that it is able to modulate the immune response. Interestingly, in recent years it has become clear that immune cells express a nonneuronal cholinergic system, which is stimulated in the course of inflammatory processes. We have previously shown that dendritic cells (DC) express muscarinic receptors, as well as the enzymes responsible for the synthesis and degradation of ACh. Here, we analyzed whether ACh could also modulate the functional profile of DC. Methods: Dendritic cells were obtained from monocytes cultured for 5 days with GM-CSF+IL-4. The phenotype of DC was evaluated by flow cytometry and the production of cytokines analyzed by ELISA or intracellular staining and flow cytometry. Results:Treatment of DC with ACh stimulated the expression of the Th2-promoter OX40L (p