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Lipids in dendritic cell biology: messengers, effectors, and antigens
Author(s) -
Thurnher Martin
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of leukocyte biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.819
H-Index - 191
eISSN - 1938-3673
pISSN - 0741-5400
DOI - 10.1189/jlb.0706438
Subject(s) - biology , effector , microbiology and biotechnology , antigen , innate immune system , acquired immune system , dendritic cell , immune system , second messenger system , immunology , signal transduction
Dendritic cells (DC) are the most professional APC, which induce and coordinate immune responses. The principal task of DC is T cell activation, although DC also interact with and regulate other cell types. The present review serves to illustrate the increasing evidence that lipids play an important role in DC biology. In addition to being fuel stores and structural components of cellular membranes such as in other cell types, lipids act as second messengers and as effectors throughout all steps of DC differentiation and regulate important DC functions. The recent finding that DC synthesize lipid antigens in response to bacterial stimulation and induce antibacterial, CD1‐restricted T cells through antigenic mimicry further emphasizes the important role of lipids and DC at the blurring boundaries of innate and adaptive immunity.