Open AccessDendritic Cell Populations inLeishmania major-Infected Skin and Draining Lymph Nodes
Author(s) -
Tracey M. Baldwin,
Sandrine Henri,
Joan M. Curtis,
Meredith O’Keeffe,
David Vremec,
Ken Shortman,
Emanuela Handman
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
infection and immunity
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.508
H-Index - 220
eISSN - 1070-6313
pISSN - 0019-9567
DOI - 10.1128/iai.72.4.1991-2001.2004
Subject(s) - lymph , biology , immunology , leishmania , dendritic cell , cutaneous leishmaniasis , lymph node , leishmania major , spleen , lymph node stromal cell , follicular dendritic cells , parasite load , leishmaniasis , pathology , t cell , immune system , parasite hosting , antigen presenting cell , medicine , computer science , world wide web
Using a metacyclic promastigote ear infection model of cutaneous leishmaniasis, we examined the phenotype, parasite load, and cytokine production of dendritic cells in the skin and draining lymph nodes of resistant C57BL/6J and susceptible BALB/c mice. Five dendritic cell populations were isolated from the skin and lymph nodes, and the main difference between the groups of mice was an increased number of plasmacytoid dendritic cells in the lymph nodes of the susceptible mice. Although similar cell types were present in the skin emigrants of both strains, there was a 10-fold larger number of cells in BALB/c mouse skin early in infection than in C57BL/6J mouse skin. None of the dendritic cells in the lymph nodes harbored parasites until 3 weeks after infection, with the Langerhans cells having the largest load and the plasmacytoid dendritic cells having the smallest load but the longest lasting infection. Although parasites could be detected in the lymph nodes a few hours after infection, none of the skin emigrants harbored parasites, indicating that they are not the vehicle that ferries the parasites from the skin to the lymph nodes. The presence of larger numbers of plasmacytoid cells in infected BALB/c mice, the more protracted infection of these cells, and their production of alpha interferon point to a complex and important role for the plasmacytoid cells in leishmaniasis.