Involvement of dendritic cells in autoimmune diseases in children

Abstract

Dendritic cells (DCs) are professional antigen-presenting cells that are specialized in the uptake of antigens and their transport from peripheral tissues to the lymphoid organs. Over the last decades, the properties of DCs have been intensely studied and much knowledge has been gained about the role of DCs in various diseases and health conditions where the immune system is involved, particularly in cancer and autoimmune disorders. Emerging clues in autoimmune diseases, suggest that dendritic cell dysregulation might be involved in the development of various autoimmune disorders in both adults and children. However, studies investigating a possible contribution of DCs in autoimmune diseases in the pediatric population alone are scanty. The purpose of this review is to give a general overview of the current literature on the relevance of dendritic cells in the most common autoimmune conditions of childhood.

Figure 1

Activated pDCs in JDM muscle. JDM muscle samples were stained for CD123 (green fluorescent avidin), CD83 (Texas Red), and the nucleus (DAPI). Most of the pDCs in the JDM muscle were activated (CD123+ CD83+, yellow in overlay). Magnification: × 40.

Figure 2

Architecture and cellular composition of inflammatory infiltrates in JDM muscle. pDCs (arrow heads denote pDC aggregates) were localized in close proximity to B-cells (arrows denote CD20+ B cells) and T-cells (not shown). Magnification: × 40