Dendritic cells (DCs) are major antigen presenting cells that can efficiently prime and activate cellular immune responses. Delivering antigens to in vivo DCs has thus been considered as a promising strategy that could allow us to mount T cell-mediated therapeutic immunity against cancers in patients. Successful development of such types of cancer vaccines that can target in vivo DCs, however, ...

Using syngeneic murine tumor models established in immunocompetent hosts, we showed that cancer stem cells are immunogenic and can be selectively targeted by dendritic cell-based vaccines. This new approach induced both humoral and cellular immune responses and conferred significantly superior antitumor immunity as compared with conventional vaccines.

The immune response against transplanted allografts is one of the most potent reactions mounted by the immune system. The acute rejection response has been attributed to donor dendritic cells (DCs), which migrate to recipient lymphoid tissues and directly activate alloreactive T cells against donor MHC molecules. Here, using a murine heart transplant model, we determined that only a small numbe...

Antigen-presenting cells are a heterogeneous group of cells that are characterized by their functional specialization. Consequently, targeting specific antigen-presenting cell subsets offers opportunities to induce distinct T cell responses. Here we report on the generation and use of nanobodies (Nbs) to target lentivectors specifically to human lymph node-resident myeloid dendritic cells, demo...

In article number 1700578, Jianzhong Xu, Shiwu Dong, and co-workers report the development of a graphene-based miRNA transfection system that uses a polyethylenimine (PEI) functionalized graphene oxide complex loaded with miR-7b plasmid. The system efficiently delivers the miR-7b plasmid into bone marrow macrophases and reduces the expression of target protein dendritic cell-specific transmembr...

ADA is an enzyme implicated in purine metabolism, and is critical to ensure normal immune function. Its congenital deficit leads to severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID). ADA binding to adenosine receptors on dendritic cell surface enables T-cell costimulation through CD26 crosslinking, which enhances T-cell activation and proliferation. Despite a large body of work on the actions of the ecto...

Dendritic targeting of mRNA and local protein synthesis are mechanisms that enable neurons to deliver proteins to specific postsynaptic sites. Here, we demonstrate that epileptogenic stimuli induce a dramatic accumulation of BDNF mRNA and protein in the dendrites of hippocampal neurons in vivo. BDNF mRNA and protein accumulate in dendrites in all hippocampal subfields after pilocarpine seizures...

Neurons are highly polarized cells with distinct subcellular compartments, including dendritic arbors and an axon. The proper function of the nervous system relies not only on correct targeting of axons, but also on development of neuronal-class-specific geometry of dendritic arbors [1-4]. To study the intercellular control of the shaping of dendritic trees in vivo, we searched for cell-surface...