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Critical Reviews™ in Immunology

ISSN for PRINT: 1040-8401

Institutional price:	$831.00
Issues per year:	6

Best Paper Award Selection - Editorial Board Site

2004, Volume24

92 pages

DOI: 10.1615/CritRevImmunol.v24.i5

Issue price - $132.00

The Impact of Extracellular Acidosis on Dendritic Cell Function

Monica Elba Vermeulen
Institute of Hematologic Research, National Academy of Medicine, Department of Microbiology, Buenos Aires University School of Medicine, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Romina Gamberale
Institute of Hematologic Research, National Academy of Medicine, Department of Microbiology, Buenos Aires University School of Medicine, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Analia Silvina Trevani
Institute of Hematologic Research, National Academy of Medicine, Department of Microbiology, Buenos Aires University School of Medicine, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Diego Martinez
Institute of Hematologic Research, National Academy of Medicine, Department of Microbiology, Buenos Aires University School of Medicine, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Ana Ceballos
AIDS Reference National Center (CNRS), Buenos Aires University School of Medicine, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Juan Sabatte
AIDS Reference National Center (CNRS), Buenos Aires University School of Medicine, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Mirta Giordano
Institute of Hematologic Research, National Academy of Medicine, Department of Microbiology, Buenos Aires University School of Medicine, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Jorge Raul Geffner
Institute of Hematologic Research, National Academy of Medicine, Department of Microbiology, AIDS Reference National Center (CNRS), Buenos Aires University School of Medicine, Buenos Aires, Argentina

ABSTRACT

Dendritic cells (DCs) are the most efficient antigen-presenting cells. They are activated in the periphery by conserved pathogen molecules and by inflammatory mediators produced by a variety of cell types in response to danger signals. It is widely appreciated that inflammatory responses in peripheral tissues are usually associated with the development of acidic microenvironments. Surprisingly, there are relatively few studies directed to analyze the effect of extracellular acidosis on the immune response. We focus on the influence of extracellular acidosis on the function of immature DCs. The results presented here show that acidosis activates DCs. It increases the acquisition of extracellular antigens for MHC class I-restricted presentation and the ability of antigen-pulsed DCs to induce both specific CD8⁺ CTL and B-cell responses. These findings may have important implications to our understanding of the mechanisms through which DCs sense the presence of infection or inflammation in nonlymphoid tissues.