Induction of primary immune response by rat dendritic cells

M. DE LA MATA; S.G. CORREA; C.M. RIERA; P. IRIBARREN

Revista de la Facultad de Ciencias Médicas (Córdoba, Argentina)

Córdoba: Universidad Nacional De Córdoba, Facultad De Ciencias Medicas

Lugar: Córdoba; Año: 2000 vol. 57 p. 219 - 225

0014-6722

In this work we generated dendritic cells (DC) from rat bone marrow cultures stimulated with GM-CSF and IL-4. After 10 days of culture, we obtained numerous mature DC showing morphological characteristics of DC and high levels of MHC class II molecules. Also, we isolated DC from rat spleen on the bases of their differential adherence and low-density properties. The purity of these cells was > 90% according to morphology and MHC class II expression. To evaluate the capacity of bone marrow DC, immature spleen DC or spleen DC cultured 24h with GM-CSF (mature spleen DC), to elicit an immune response to ovalbumin (OVA), DC were loaded with this antigen and transferred to normal rats. Both bone marrow and spleen DC induced delayed type hypersensitivity responses (DTH). However, mature DC from spleen induced a stronger immune response against OVA with the highest DTH values (p < 0.05). These differences in the induction of the immune response correlated with higher expression of MHC class II molecules on mature DC.