Korean J Pediatr Hematol Oncol.  2004 Oct;11(2):217-227.

Functional and Phenotypic Characterization of Cord Blood-Derived Dendritic Cells

• Lee GK
• Moon YR
• Song HG
• Ji IW
• Park HJ

Abstract

PURPOSE
Hematopoietic stem cells from umbilical cord blood are one of the useful resources for stem cell transplantation in the various adult and childhood diseases. Immunologic complications of transplantation, e.g., graft-vs-host disease, occur much less with transplantation of cord blood stem cells. Cord blood-derived dendritic cells (CB-DCs) are known to be different from adult peripheral blood-derived dendritic cells (PB-DCs) in immunologic characteristics. These phenomena might be related to the characteristics of hematopoietic cells in cord blood. Therefore, we analysed characteristics of dendritic cells, which are well-known immune-provoking cells, derived from cord blood precursors. METHODS: Dendritic cells were differentiated from plastic-adherent cord blood monocytes in the presence of GM-CSF and IL-4. Immunophenotype was analysed by flow cytometry and expression of IDO (indoleamine 2, 3-dioxygenase), an enzyme expressed in immune-regulating or tolerogenic DCs, IL-12, IL-10 and IL-6 was measured by RT-PCR along in vitro differentiation. Changes in expression of cytokines and IDO after antibody engagement were also analysed. RESULTS: CB-DCs were very similar to PB-DCs in immunophenotype and expression of cytokines. But CB-DCs expressed IDO transcripts much earlier than PB-DCs during differentiation from precursors. Engagement of CB-DCs with DU-1 mAb induced upregulation of IDO and downregulation of IL-6. CONCLUSION: Although immunophenotype and cytokine expression pattern of CB-DCs were quite similar to those of PB-DCs, CB-DCs expressed IDO earlier than PB-DCs. This might be related to the phenomena that CB-DCs are less immunogenic or, sometimes, tolerance-inducing.

Keyword

Dendritic cells; Cord blood; Indoleamine 2, 3-dioxygenase (IDO); IL-6; DU-1

MeSH Terms

Adult
Cytokines
Dendritic Cells*
Down-Regulation
Fetal Blood
Flow Cytometry
Graft vs Host Disease
Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor
Hematopoietic Stem Cells
Humans
Interleukin-10
Interleukin-12
Interleukin-4
Interleukin-6
Monocytes
Stem Cell Transplantation
Stem Cells
Up-Regulation
Cytokines
Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor
Interleukin-10
Interleukin-12
Interleukin-4
Interleukin-6