Differential chemokine receptor expression and usage by pre-cDC1 and pre-cDC2

Conventional dendritic cells (cDCs) are continuously replenished by bone marrow-derived precursors called pre-DCs, which traffic through the blood to peripheral tissues. Pre-DCs are a heterogeneous population that includes cDC subset-committed progenitors, namely pre-cDC1 and pre-cDC2, which give rise to mature cDC1 and cDC2, respectively. Regulation of pre-DC subset trafficking is thought to aid the host response to immune challenge. However, the molecular cues regulating pre-cDC1 versus pre-cDC2 trafficking toward peripheral sites during homeostasis and disease remain elusive. Here, we report that pre-cDC1 but not pre-cDC2 express the T helper type 1-associated chemokine receptor CXCR3. Moreover, we identify a cell-intrinsic role for CXCR3 in the trafficking of pre-cDC1 to melanoma tumors but not to non-inflamed organs. We also show that tumor cDC1 numbers can be increased pharmacologically by targeting dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (CD26), a negative regulator of CXCR3 ligands. Our findings demonstrate that pre-cDC1 trafficking is regulated distinctly from pre-cDC2, which is relevant for our understanding of the DC lineage in the context of cancer and inflammation.