Fractalkine, a CX3C chemokine, is expressed by dendritic cells and is up‐regulated upon dendritic cell maturation

• Published in: European journal of immunology Vol. 29; no. 8; pp. 2551 - 2559
• Main Authors: Papadopoulos, Elektra J., Sassetti, Chris, Saeki, Hidehisa, Yamada, Nobuo, Kawamura, Tatsuyoshi, Fitzhugh, David J., Saraf, Manisha A., Schall, Thomas, Blauvelt, Andrew, Rosen, Steven D., Hwang, Sam T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Weinheim WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH 01-08-1999
• Subjects: Animals; Base Sequence; CD40 Ligand; Cell Adhesion - immunology; Cell Communication - immunology; Cell Differentiation - immunology; Cell Line; Chemokine; chemokine CX3C; Chemokine CX3CL1; Chemokines, CX3C; Chemokines, CXC - genetics; Chemokines, CXC - metabolism; Dendritic cell; Dendritic Cells - cytology; Dendritic Cells - immunology; DNA Primers - genetics; fractalkine; Humans; Langerhans Cells - immunology; Melanocytes - immunology; Membrane Glycoproteins - pharmacology; Membrane Proteins - genetics; Membrane Proteins - metabolism; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Palatine Tonsil - cytology; Palatine Tonsil - immunology; RNA, Messenger - genetics; RNA, Messenger - metabolism; Skin; Skin - cytology; Skin - immunology; T-Lymphocytes - cytology; T-Lymphocytes - immunology; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - pharmacology; Up-Regulation
• DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1521-4141(199908)29:08<2551::AID-IMMU2551>3.0.CO;2-T
• EISSN: 1521-4141
• ISSN: 0014-2980

The lone CX3C chemokine, fractalkine (FK), is expressed in a membrane‐bound form on activated endothelial cells and mediates attachment and firm adhesion of T cells, monocytes and NK cells. We now show that FK is associated with dendritic cells (DC) in epidermis and lymphoid organs. In normal human skin, dual‐color fluorescence microscopy co‐localized FK expression with Langerhans cells expressing CD1a. In tonsil, FK‐positive DC expressed CD83, a marker for mature DC. Human and murine cultured DC up‐regulated FK mRNA expression with maturation. Furthermore, CD40 ligation, but not TNF‐α or lipopolysaccharide treatment, of activated, migratory DC that had migrated from skin explants resulted in a 2.5‐fold increase of surface expression of FK without significant alterations of expression of CD80, CD86, CD54 or MHC class II. Since FK mediates adhesion of T cells to activated endothelial cells, the increased expression of FK during DC maturation (and particularly by CD40 ligation) may play a role in the ability of T cells and mature DC to form conjugates and engage in cell‐cell communication.