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Updated: Aug 8, 2026
Generation of Immature, Mature and Tolerogenic Dendritic Cells with Differing Metabolic Phenotypes
Published on: June 22, 2016
[Differentiation and increase of dendritic cells from umbilical cord blood in vitro]
Shi-Mei Lian1, Xiao-Bo Wang, Zu-Guang Xue
1The Second Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116023, China. lian_shi_mei@hotmail.com
Insights
Umbilical cord blood cells (UCBC) can differentiate into dendritic cells (DC) within 2-4 weeks when cultured with specific cytokines. These generated dendritic cells show potential for cancer immunotherapy.
Area of Science:
- Immunology and Cell Biology
- Hematology
Context:
- Umbilical cord blood cells (UCBC) are a rich source of hematopoietic stem cells.
- Dendritic cells (DC) are crucial antigen-presenting cells in the immune system.
- Generating functional DCs from UCBC is of interest for therapeutic applications.
Purpose:
- To analyze UCBC composition and dendritic cell characteristics.
- To establish an in vitro method for differentiating and expanding dendritic cells from UCBC.
- To evaluate surface antigen expression on UCBC-derived dendritic cells.
Summary:
- UCBC were cultured with granulocyte-monocyte colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), interleukin 3 (IL-3), stem cell factor (SCF), and erythropoietin (EPO).
- Flow cytometry identified differentiation into CD1a+, CD11c+, CD83+, and CDw123+ dendritic cells within 2-4 weeks.
- Significant expansion of dendritic cells was observed, increasing from baseline progenitor levels.
Impact:
- Demonstrates a viable method for generating mature dendritic cells from umbilical cord blood.
- Highlights the potential of UCBC-derived dendritic cells as antigen-presenting cells for cancer immunotherapy.
- Provides insights into the surface marker profile of in vitro-generated dendritic cells.
Abstract:
The aims of this study were to analyze the composition of umbilical cord blood cells (UCBC), to examine the characteristics of dendritic cells (DC) before and after culture, to search the method of differentiation and increase of DC in vitro and to appraise surface antigen from UCBC. Twelve units of umbilical cord blood were collected from May 2002 to September 2002. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells of 9 cases were collected from healthy adult donors. The nature of UCBC was freshly determined and then UCBC were cultured for 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks with granulocyte-monocyte colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), interleukin 3 (IL-3), recombinant human stem cell factor (SCF) and EPO. Method of flow cytometry was used to determine the number of DC and cell surface antigens before and after culture by using monoclonal antibodies. The monoclonal antibodies included CD4, CD8, CD19, CD34, CD38, CD83, CD1a, CD11c and CDw123. The results showed that amounts of CD34+ progenitors in peripheral blood cells were 0.02 x 10(5)/ml, and amounts of CD34+ progenitors in human UCBC were 0.22 x 10(5)/ml. UCBC cultured for 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks with GM-CSF, IL-3, EPO and SCF were shown to differentiate into CD1a+ CD11c+ CD83+ CDw123+ DC. Numbers of DC from UCBC remarkably generated in 2-4 weeks and then decreased in number. By culture with cytokines DC increased up to (10.6 - 28.2) x 10(5)/ml in actual numbers. It is concluded that the mononuclear cells of UCB are able to differentiate into CD1a+, CD83+, CD11c+ and CDw123+ DC when UCBC are cultured with proper cytokines of GM-CSF, SCF, EPO and IL-3 for 2-4 weeks. These DCs as antigen presenting cells are possibly effective in cancer immunotherapy.
