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Updated: May 21, 2026

Purification of the Membrane Compartment for Endoplasmic Reticulum-associated Degradation of Exogenous Antigens in Cross-presentation
Published on: August 21, 2017
Development of antigen cross-presentation capacity in dendritic cells
Christiane Dresch1, Yann Leverrier, Jacqueline Marvel
1Institute of Virology, University of Zurich, Zurich 8057, Switzerland.
Dendritic cells (DCs) present external antigens via MHC class I, crucial for immunity and self-tolerance. This cross-presentation ability develops in CD8+ DCs during inflammation, but is innate in thymic CD8+ DCs for deleting self-reactive T cells.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Cross-presentation of exogenous antigens by dendritic cells (DCs) on MHC class I molecules is critical for initiating adaptive immune responses against intracellular pathogens and for establishing self-tolerance.
- The CD8+ DC lineage in mice is specialized for this cross-presentation function.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the developmental regulation of cross-presentation capacity in CD8+ dendritic cells.
- To understand the differences in cross-presentation ability between peripheral and thymic CD8+ DCs.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of cross-presentation capacity in different DC subsets.
- Investigating the role of cytokines like granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and toll-like receptor (TLR) ligands in inducing cross-presentation.
Main Results:
- CD8+ DCs do not inherently possess cross-presentation capacity at birth; it is acquired during later developmental stages.
- Inflammation or infection, signaled by GM-CSF or TLR ligands, induces cross-presentation in peripheral CD8+ DCs.
- Steady-state thymic CD8+ DCs exhibit fully developed cross-presentation capacity, independent of inflammatory signals.
Conclusions:
- Cross-presentation capacity in CD8+ DCs is developmentally regulated and context-dependent.
- The innate cross-presentation ability of thymic CD8+ DCs supports their role in central T cell tolerance by deleting self-reactive T cells.
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