Human monocyte-derived DC express the enzyme NADPH oxidase, responsible for ROS production. We show that Candida albicans did not activate NADPH oxidase in DC, and was poorly killed by these cells. However, Candida-killing activity increased upon DC stimulation with the NADPH oxidase activator PMA and was further enhanced by DC treatment with IFN-a or IFN-c. This fungicidal activity took place at high DC-to-Candida ratio, but decreased at low DC-to-yeast ratio, when Candida inhibited the NADPH oxidase by contrasting the assembly of the enzyme on DC plasma membrane. The NADPH oxidase inhibitor diphenyliodonium chloride abrogated the PMA-dependent DC candidacidal capacity. Engagement of b-glucan receptor dectin-1 induced NADPH oxidase activation in DC that was depressed by mannose-binding receptor CD206 costimulation. Candida was internalized by DC through mannose-binding receptors, but not through dectin-1, thus explaining why Candida did not elicit NADPH oxidase activity. Our results indicate that NADPH oxidase is involved in DC Candida-killing activity, which is increased by IFN. However, Candida escapes the oxidative damage by inhibiting NADPH oxidase and by entering DC through receptors not involved in NADPH oxidase activation.
IntroductionDendritic cells (DC) play an important role in the initiation of immune responses [1][2][3][4]. In peripheral tissues, immature DC capture antigens by specialized receptors, undergo maturation and migrate to lymphoid organs where they present antigens to naive T cells [1][2][3][4]. Moreover, DC produce cytotoxic molecules limiting pathogen replication [5][6][7][8].Recently, we reported that human monocyte-derived DC express NADPH oxidase [9], the enzyme of leukocytes responsible for ROS production, whose activation requires the association between cytosolic (p47phox, p67phox, p40phox, p21rac) and membrane (gp91phox, p22phox) components [10,11]. ROS produced by NADPH oxidase of leukocytes are involved in pathogen killing, as demonstrated by the recurrent infections affecting individuals with chronic granulomatous disease, an inherited disorder in which the enzyme is not functional [10,11], but are also recognized as signaling molecules [12]. We previously showed that NADPH oxidase is not involved in DC differentiation, LPS-induced maturation, cytokine production and induction of T cell proliferation, but is required for DC killing of intracellular bacteria [9].The present study was undertaken to elucidate in more detail the regulation of DC NADPH oxidase activity and the role of this enzyme in pathogen-killing ability of
ResultsRegulation of NADPH oxidase activity by IFN-a and IFN-cWe previously reported that PMA-stimulated human monocyte-derived DC release superoxide anion, which was nearly completely produced via NADPH oxidase activation [9]. Here we show that immature DC treatment with IFN-a or IFN-c enhanced the PMA-induced NADPH oxidase activity (Fig.1A, B). A surface phenotype analysis by flow cytometry demonstrated that this effect was not consequent to changes of DC...