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Dendritic cells and the maintenance of self-tolerance

  • UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH IMMUNOLOGY 2011
  • Published:
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Abstract

Dendritic cells (DC) play important roles in the initiation of immune responses and in the maintenance of self-tolerance. We have been studying the role of DC in the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes and exploring the ability of specific DC subsets to prevent diabetes in non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice. DC presenting low doses of antigen are capable of inducing and expanding T-regulatory (Treg) cells that have potent suppressive function. We review here our recent findings in this area and highlight the ability of semi-mature therapeutic DC to induce Treg expansion in the absence of exogenous antigen. We discuss how the presentation of endogenous self-antigen by DC may represent a natural mechanism for peripheral self-tolerance that can be harnessed to prevent autoimmunity.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Huijie Sun for expert technical assistance. This work was supported by National Institutes of Health grant CA73743 (PAM) and National Institutes of Health training grant 5T32 CA82084 (MST).

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  1. Michael S. Turner

    Present address: Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia Mason, Seattle, WA, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Immunology and Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, 200 Lothrop Street, BST E1048, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA

    Penelope A. Morel & Michael S. Turner

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  1. Penelope A. Morel
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Correspondence to Penelope A. Morel.

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Morel, P.A., Turner, M.S. Dendritic cells and the maintenance of self-tolerance. Immunol Res 50, 124–129 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12026-011-8217-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12026-011-8217-y

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