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Dendritic cell immune potency on 2D and in 3D collagen matrices
Jiranuwat Sapudom1, Aseel Alatoom1, Walaa K E Mohamed1
1Laboratory for Immuno Bioengineering Research and Applications, Division of Engineering, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. jeremy.teo@nyu.edu.
Biomaterials Science
|August 20, 2020
Summary
Investigating dendritic cell (DC) behavior in 2D vs. 3D cultures reveals how dimensionality and matrix density impact immune responses. Different experimental perspectives significantly alter observed DC functions and immune modulation capabilities.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Biomaterials Science
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Dendritic cells (DCs) are crucial antigen-presenting cells that regulate immune responses, capable of initiating activation or tolerance.
- Understanding how biophysical properties of the cellular microenvironment influence DC differentiation and function is key for immunological insights and applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of cell culture dimensionality (2D vs. 3D) and 3D matrix density on dendritic cell differentiation and function.
- To explore two distinct research perspectives: tissue-centric (microenvironment dictates cell behavior) and cell-centric (pre-differentiated cells in a microenvironment).
Main Methods:
- Dendritic cell plasticity was assessed via surface markers and cytokine secretion profiles.
- Antigen internalization and T cell activation assays were performed to evaluate cellular functions of immature DCs (iDCs) and mature DCs (mDCs).
- Experiments were conducted in 2D cultures and 3D collagen matrices of varying densities, analyzed from both tissue-centric and cell-centric viewpoints.
Main Results:
- In the tissue-centric view, 2D cultures showed generally higher markers and cytokines, while 3D cultures showed matrix density-dependent regulation. Cell-centric view revealed enhanced markers and distinct cytokine profiles in both iDCs and mDCs.
- Functional assays showed matrix density dependence for iDC antigen uptake and mDC-mediated T cell proliferation in 3D (tissue-centric). In contrast, iDCs and mDCs lost function in the cell-centric view.
- Mature DCs modulated T cell differentiation towards Th1 (tissue-centric) and Th17 (cell-centric) via distinct cytokine profiles.
Conclusions:
- Dimensionality and collagen matrix density are critical factors regulating DC immune responses.
- The experimental conceptual perspective (tissue-centric vs. cell-centric) significantly influences the interpretation of immune cell-material interactions and biomaterial-based immunity models.
