Relevance of DC-SIGN in DC-induced T cell proliferation

The role of dendritic cell-specific ICAM-3-grabbing nonintegrin (DC-SIGN) in DC-T cell communication was assessed by analyzing the effect of DC-SIGN-blocking mAb in MLR. The results show that the degree of inhibition by DC-SIGN and LFA-1 mAb depends on the magnitude of the MLR and the maturation status of the DC. Addition of DC-SIGN mAb at several time-points during MLR showed that DC-SIGN is involved early on in DC-T cell contacts. This initial role is masked by strong adhesive and costimulatory mechanisms, indicating a short-lived effect of DC-SIGN in DC-T cell interactions. To examine this concept in more detail, the percentage of PBL capable of binding DC-SIGN was determined. Analysis of several donors revealed that 1-20% PBL bind to beads coated with recombinant DC-SIGN, and the DC-SIGN-binding cells comprised all major cell subsets found in blood. PBL isolated from a donor with high DC-SIGN-binding capacity were more prone to blocking by DC-SIGN mAb in MLR than PBL from a donor with low DC-SIGN-binding capacity. This study indicates an initial and transient role for DC-SIGN in T cell proliferation, which becomes apparent when T cell proliferation is low and when the percentage of DC-SIGN binding PBL is high.