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A case of mistaken identity: CD11c‐eYFP + cells in the normal mouse brain parenchyma and neural retina display the phenotype of microglia, not dendritic cells
Author(s) -
Dando Samantha J.,
Naranjo Golborne Cecilia,
Chinnery Holly R.,
Ruitenberg Marc J.,
McMenamin Paul G.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
glia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.954
H-Index - 164
eISSN - 1098-1136
pISSN - 0894-1491
DOI - 10.1002/glia.23005
Subject(s) - biology , parenchyma , microglia , phenotype , cd11c , neuroscience , retina , identity (music) , congenic , microbiology and biotechnology , immunology , genetics , gene , botany , inflammation , physics , acoustics
Under steady‐state conditions the central nervous system (CNS) is traditionally thought to be devoid of antigen presenting cells; however, putative dendritic cells (DCs) expressing enhanced yellow fluorescent protein (eYFP) are present in the retina and brain parenchyma of CD11c‐eYFP mice. We previously showed that these mice carry the Crb1 rd8 mutation, which causes retinal dystrophic lesions; therefore we hypothesized that the presence of CD11c‐eYFP + cells within the CNS may be due to pathology associated with the Crb1 rd8 mutation. We generated CD11c‐eYFP Crb1 wt/wt mice and compared the distribution and immunophenotype of CD11c‐eYFP + cells in CD11c‐eYFP mice with and without the Crb1 rd8 mutation. The number and distribution of CD11c‐eYFP + cells in the CNS was similar between CD11c‐eYFP Crb1 wt/wt and CD11c‐eYFP Crb1 rd8/rd8 mice. CD11c‐eYFP + cells were distributed throughout the inner retina, and clustered in brain regions that receive input from the external environment or lack a blood‐brain barrier. CD11c‐eYFP + cells within the retina and cerebral cortex of CD11c‐eYFP Crb1 wt/wt mice expressed CD11b, F4/80, CD115 and Iba‐1, but not DC or antigen presentation markers, whereas CD11c‐eYFP + cells within the choroid plexus and pia mater expressed CD11c, I‐A/I‐E, CD80, CD86, CD103, DEC205, CD8α and CD135. The immunophenotype of CD11c‐eYFP + cells and microglia within the CNS was similar between CD11c‐eYFP Crb1 wt/wt and CD11c‐eYFP Crb1 rd8/rd8 mice; however, CD11c and I‐A/I‐E expression was significantly increased in CD11c‐eYFP Crb1 rd8/rd8 mice. This study demonstrates that the overwhelming majority of CNS CD11c‐eYFP + cells do not display the phenotype of DCs or their precursors and are most likely a subpopulation of microglia. GLIA 2016. GLIA 2016;64:1331–1349