The role of human 6‐sulfo LacNAc dendritic cells (slanDCs) in autoimmunity and tumor diseases

Abstract

SummaryDendritic cells play a central role in the regulation of immunological reactivity. The existence of functionally specialized populations of dendritic cells in the skin is a consequence of qualitatively different attacks on our organism. slanDCs are human inflammatory dendritic cells that are characterized by the specific expression of the carbohydrate 6-sulfo LacNAc (slan). After phenotypic maturation, slanDCs are capable of producing very high amounts of proinflammatory mediators such as IL-12, TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-23. Recent data describe a potential role of slanDCs in a number of different diseases like psoriasis, lupus erythematosus, and tumors, thus opening up new areas of research on their respective pathogenesis. Furthermore, a slanDC-specific targeting system has been developed as a basis for direct therapeutic manipulation. Future challenges of slanDC research include deepening our understanding of the significance of slanDCs in the regulation of adaptive and innate immune responses, as well as translating this knowledge into therapeutic options.

A study of 51 subtypes of peripheral blood immune cells in newly diagnosed young type 1 diabetes patients

“…We have shown the decrease of myeloid and plasmacytoid DC in T1D that is in keeping with previous studies [9,19]. Although our flow cytometry panel did not enable us to measure conventional DC (mDC) subtypes cDC1 and cDC2 [20], we characterized these cells by the expression of CD16 and slan, a carbohydrate modification of P-selectin glycoprotein ligand 1 (PSGL-1) that has been studied in the context of different immune-mediated diseases [12]. To our knowledge, this is the first study investigating the role of slan + DC in T1D.…”

“…In addition, we paid special attention to a subpopulation of 6-sulfo LacNAc (slan)-expressing proinflammatory subset of myeloid DCs. This subpopulation has been studied in other autoimmune conditions where their important role has been shown [11,12], and they may also have a substantial function in the pathogenesis of T1D. In addition,…”