Blocking junctional adhesion molecule C enhances dendritic cell migration and boosts the immune responses against Leishmania major

• Published in: PLoS pathogens 2014-12, Vol.10 (12), p.e1004550-e1004550
• Main Authors: Ballet, Romain, Emre, Yalin, Jemelin, Stéphane, Charmoy, Mélanie, Tacchini-Cottier, Fabienne, Imhof, Beat A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Biology and Life Sciences; Cell adhesion; Cell Adhesion Molecules - immunology; Cell research; Dendritic cells; Dendritic Cells - immunology; Dendritic Cells - pathology; Female; Health aspects; Host-parasite relationships; Immune response; Immune system; Immunity, Cellular; Immunity, Innate; Immunoglobulins - immunology; Leishmania; Leishmania major - immunology; Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous - immunology; Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous - pathology; Lymphatic system; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Microbiological research; Parasites; Parasitic diseases; Prevention; Skin - immunology; Skin - parasitology; Skin - pathology; T cell receptors; Th1 Cells - immunology; Th1 Cells - pathology; Th2 Cells - immunology; Th2 Cells - pathology
• ISSN: 1553-7374; 1553-7366; 1553-7374
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1004550

The recruitment of dendritic cells to sites of infections and their migration to lymph nodes is fundamental for antigen processing and presentation to T cells. In the present study, we showed that antibody blockade of junctional adhesion molecule C (JAM-C) on endothelial cells removed JAM-C away from junctions and increased vascular permeability after L. major infection. This has multiple consequences on the output of the immune response. In resistant C57BL/6 and susceptible BALB/c mice, we found higher numbers of innate immune cells migrating from blood to the site of infection. The subsequent migration of dendritic cells (DCs) from the skin to the draining lymph node was also improved, thereby boosting the induction of the adaptive immune response. In C57BL/6 mice, JAM-C blockade after L. major injection led to an enhanced IFN-γ dominated T helper 1 (Th1) response with reduced skin lesions and parasite burden. Conversely, anti JAM-C treatment increased the IL-4-driven T helper 2 (Th2) response in BALB/c mice with disease exacerbation. Overall, our results show that JAM-C blockade can finely-tune the innate cell migration and accelerate the consequent immune response to L. major without changing the type of the T helper cell response.