Vitamin C-treated murine bone marrow-derived dendritic cells preferentially drive naïve T cells into Th1 cells by increased IL-12 secretions

• Published in: Cellular immunology 2011, Vol.266 (2), p.192-199
• Main Authors: Jeong, Young-Joo, Hong, Seung-Woo, Kim, Jin-Hee, Jin, Dong-Hoon, Kang, Jae Seung, Lee, Wang Jae, Hwang, Young-il
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Ascorbic Acid - pharmacology; Cells, Cultured; Dendritic cell; Dendritic Cells - drug effects; Dendritic Cells - immunology; ERK1/2; IL-12p70; Interferon-gamma - immunology; Interleukin-12 - metabolism; Interleukin-5 - immunology; Lipopolysaccharides - immunology; Lymphocyte Activation - drug effects; Lymphocyte Activation - immunology; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases - antagonists & inhibitors; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases - immunology; p38; Reactive Oxygen Species - analysis; Sodium-dependent vitamin C transporter; T-Lymphocytes - drug effects; T-Lymphocytes - immunology; Th1 Cells - immunology; Th1-shifting; Vitamin C
• ISSN: 0008-8749; 1090-2163
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cellimm.2010.10.005

Vitamin C has been reported to shift immune responses toward Th1. In this study, we evaluated whether this effect was by way of dendritic cells. Murine dendritic cells (DCs) were prepared from bone marrow precursors. DCs treated with vitamin C secreted an increased amount of IL-12p70 after activation with LPS. These cells rendered naïve T cells to secrete more Th1 cytokine, IFN-γ, and less Th2-cytokine, IL-5 in the culture supernatants. Vitamin C-treatment also increased phosphorylation of p38 and ERK1/2 in DCs. p38 inhibitor in culture media suppressed the effect of vitamin C to elevate IL-12p70 secretion. In contrast, ERK inhibitor elevated IL-12p70 secretion. In summary, vitamin C taken up into DCs increased IL-12p70 secretion of these cells by modulating the activation of signal molecules, and thus shifted immune responses toward Th1. These data provide us a new insight on the role of vitamin C in modulating immune responses.