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Updated: Jun 13, 2026

A Colorimetric Assay that Specifically Measures Granzyme B Proteolytic Activity: Hydrolysis of Boc-Ala-Ala-Asp-S-Bzl
Published on: November 28, 2014
Functional expression of granzyme B in human plasmacytoid dendritic cells: a role in allergic inflammation
1Department of Pneumology, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany. kabratke@med.uni-rostock.de
Background:
Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) are involved in a variety of immune functions. However, the expression of cytotoxic granule proteins like granzymes and perforin in human pDCs is still poorly understood.
Objective:
The aim of this study was to systematically analyse the expression and regulation of cytotoxic granule proteins in human pDCs.
Methods:
The expression of cytotoxic proteins was analysed by RT-PCR, flow cytometry, and fluorescence microscopy. The functional expression of these proteins was confirmed in a flow-cytometry-based cytotoxicity assay using K562 cells as targets. In order to analyse the regulation of pDC-derived cytotoxic proteins in infectious and allergic diseases, human pDCs were analysed after stimulation with toll-like receptor (TLR)7/9 ligands and in the human asthma model of segmental allergen challenge.
Results:
Granzyme B (GrB), but not the granzymes A, H, K, M or perforin, was specifically expressed by human pDCs and this GrB expression was up-regulated by IL-3 stimulation. In addition, IL-3-stimulated pDCs were found to kill K562 cells in a GrB- and caspase-dependent manner. TLR7/9 ligands significantly suppressed GrB expression in pDCs. In contrast, there was an up-regulation of GrB in endobronchial pDCs 24 h after allergen challenge, and this was accompanied by enhanced GrB concentrations in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid.
Conclusion:
We report the selective expression of GrB in human pDCs and show for the first time pDC-mediated GrB- and caspase-dependent cytotoxicity against target cells. In addition, the regulation of GrB expression was investigated in vitro and in vivo providing an evidence for a specific role of pDC-derived GrB in allergic inflammation.
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