The Vβ8.2+ cells that were present in the skin of HEL and CT immunized mice expressed the transcription factors Tbet and RORγt, and also both IFN-γ and IL-17, which is indicative of Th1 and Th17 differentiation (Fig. 4B and C). As shown in Fig. 4D, the DTH response
was dependent on IL-17 and partially dependent on IFN-γ activity, as blocking these cytokines during the challenge clearly affected the induction of the DTH response. These results indicate that immunization in the ear with both CT and with CTB induces a signature DTH response GPCR Compound Library cell line that is characterized by IL-IFN-γ. Considering the robust IFN-γ and IL-17 production by CD4+ T cells that is induced by ear immunization with low doses of antigen in combination with CT or CTB (which translates in the induction of a DTH response), we evaluated the role of migrating skin DCs in CD4+ T-cell differentiation HDAC inhibitor by elimination of the immunization site. The antigen presentation that was induced by CT or CTB was not notably affected by the absence of migrating cells from the ear (Fig. 5A). Remarkably, cytokine production following immunization with 0.3 μg HEL and 1 μg CT or CTB was dependent on the presence of migrating cells, as
we observed virtually no cytokine expression by HEL–re-stimulated CD4+ T cells when the immunization site was removed after 90 min (Fig. 5B). The intracellular expression of IFN-γ was also considerably reduced in mice in which the inoculation site was removed, even when a saturating dose of antigen was used (Fig. 5C and D). When the site of inoculation was removed 24 h after immunization, the percentage of IFN-γ+ cells were similar to those obtained from animals in which
the ear was not removed (Fig. 5D). These results indicate that after ear immunization with HEL in combination with either CT or CTB, CD4+ T-cell differentiation is dependent on the presence of cells migrating from the ear to the dCLNs. Several strategies for skin immunization Sitaxentan have been developed 10, 12, 14, 24. However, the nature of the CD4+ T-cell response that is dominant in the skin and the role of migrating DCs in the presence of different adjuvants in shaping the immune response are important issues that need to be investigated. Here, mice of varying genetic backgrounds were immunized in the ear with model antigens in combination with CT or CTB as an adjuvant. We present evidence that, following ear immunization, both CT and CTB preferentially induced IFN-γ– and IL-17-producing CD4+ T cells over IL-4- or IL-5-producing cells. This response was dependent on migrating cutaneous DCs. Immunization with CT, as well as with the non-toxic CTB subunit, resulted in the induction of a DTH response that was dependent on IL-17 and to a lesser extent on IFN-γ.