Temporary depletion of CD11c+ dendritic cells delays lymphoinvasion after intraperitonal scrapie infection

The involvement of immune cells in prion capture and transport to lymphoid tissues still remains unclear. To investigate the role of dendritic cells (DC), we used DTR(+/+) mice, a transgenic model designed to trigger short-term ablation of DC. Transient depletion of DC around the time of intraperitoneal infection delayed prion replication in the spleen, as followed by PrPsc amount, a specific hallmark of prion diseases. Consequently, neuroinvasion and incubation time of prion disease were delayed. In contrast, no differences were observed after oral infection. These results suggest that DC act as vectors for prions from the peripheral entry site to the spleen.