Lymph Node Stromal Cells Support Dendritic Cell-Induced Gut-Homing of T Cells

• Published in: The Journal of immunology (1950) 2009-11, Vol.183 (10), p.6395-6402
• Main Authors: Molenaar, Rosalie, Greuter, Mascha, van der Marel, Arnold P. J, Roozendaal, Ramon, Martin, Stefan F, Edele, Fanny, Huehn, Jochen, Forster, Reinhold, O'Toole, Tom, Jansen, Wendy, Eestermans, Inge L, Kraal, Georg, Mebius, Reina E
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aldehyde Dehydrogenase - immunology; Aldehyde Dehydrogenase - metabolism; Animals; Dendritic Cells - enzymology; Dendritic Cells - immunology; Dendritic Cells - metabolism; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; Integrins - immunology; Integrins - metabolism; Intestines - immunology; Lymph Nodes - enzymology; Lymph Nodes - immunology; Lymph Nodes - metabolism; Mice; Mice, Congenic; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice, Knockout; Mice, Transgenic; Receptors, CCR - immunology; Receptors, CCR - metabolism; Stromal Cells - cytology; Stromal Cells - immunology; Stromal Cells - metabolism; T-Lymphocytes - immunology; T-Lymphocytes - metabolism
• ISSN: 0022-1767; 1550-6606
• DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.0900311

T cells are imprinted to express tissue-specific homing receptors upon activation in tissue-draining lymph nodes, resulting in their migration to the site of Ag entry. Expression of gut-homing molecules alpha(4)beta(7) and CCR9 is induced by retinoic acid, a vitamin A metabolite produced by retinal dehydrogenases, which are specifically expressed in dendritic cells as well as stromal cells in mucosa-draining lymph nodes. In this study, we demonstrate that mesenteric lymph node stromal cell-derived retinoic acid can directly induce the expression of gut-homing molecules on proliferating T cells, a process strongly enhanced by bone marrow-derived dendritic cells in vitro. Therefore, cooperation of sessile lymph node stromal cells with mobile dendritic cells warrants the imprinting of tissue specific homing receptors on activated T cells.