Participation of intracellular oxidative pathways in antigen processing by dendritic cells, B cells and macrophages

The antigen presentation abilities of antigen presenting cells (APC) from different lineages [mainly macrophages (M phi), B cells and dendritic cells (DC)] were compared. In this review we focus on the participation of intracellular oxidative mechanisms in intracellular degradation of protein antigens: an aspect that is often neglected when the issue of antigen processing is considered. Special emphasis is given to recent findings from our laboratory indicating that in addition to a lysosomal proteolytic step being present in all APC, a previous or simultaneous oxidative step is operative in some APC (M phi) but absent or less important in others (B cells, DC).