Production of interleukin-13 by human dendritic cells after stimulation with protein allergens is a key factor for induction of T helper 2 cytokines and is associated with activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription-6.

Dendritic cells (DC) are able to induce not only T helper 1 (Th1) but also Th2 immune responses after stimulation with allergens. While DC-derived interleukin (IL)-12 and IL-18 are the key factors for the induction of Th1 cells, early signals being involved in Th2 differentiation are less well characterized so far. To analyse such early signals we used an antigen-specific setting with CD4+ T cells from atopic donors stimulated in the presence of autologous mature DC, which were pulsed with different allergen doses. The addition of increasing amounts of allergen during DC maturation with tumour necrosis factor-alpha, IL-1beta and prostaglandin E2 resulted in enhanced secretion of IL-6 and IL-12 by DC followed by increased production of Th1 (interferon-gamma; IFN-gamma) as well as Th2 (IL-4, IL-5) cytokines by CD4+ T cells. The coculture of allergen-treated DC and CD4+ T cells also led to a dose-dependent expression of active signal transducer and activator of transcription-6 (STAT6), which was visible already after 1 hr. Additionally, rapid phosphorylation of STAT6 was seen in immature DC after stimulation with allergens but not with lipopolysaccharide or human serum albumin. STAT6 phosphorylation was associated with the production of IL-13 by DC. The addition of neutralizing anti-IL-13 antibodies during maturation of DC inhibited STAT6 phosphorylation in CD4+ T cells as well as the production of IL-4, and to a lesser extent of IL-5, while IFN-gamma production was not affected. Addition of exogenous IL-13 enhanced mainly the secretion of IL-4. Taken together, DC-derived IL-13, which is released after exposure to allergens appears to be one of the critical factors for DC to acquire the capability to induce Th2 cytokine production.

Coupling of contact sensitizers to thiol groups is a key event for the activation of monocytes and monocyte-derived dendritic cells.

Strong contact sensitizers are able to induce distinct signal transduction mechanisms in antigen-presenting cells by coupling to cell proteins. The predominant target structures of haptens are thought to be thiol and amino groups in cysteine and lysine residues. We studied whether coupling of small reactive chemicals to thiol or amino groups might be responsible for the activation of monocytes and mature monocyte-derived dendritic cells. Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells were stimulated in vitro with subtoxic concentrations of the strong haptens 5-chloro-2-methylisothiazolinone plus 2-methylisothiazolinone and 2, 4, 6-trinitrochlorobenzene, the thiol-reactive reagents N-hydroxymaleimide and N-ethylmaleimide, as well as the amino-reactive compounds sulfosuccinimidyl acetate and 2-iminothiolane. Flow cytometric quantification of tyrosine phosphorylation in CD14+ monocytes showed that 5-chloro-2-methylisothiazolinone plus 2-methylisothiazolinone, 2, 4, 6-trinitrochlorobenzene, N-hydroxymaleimide, and N-ethylmaleimide but not sulfosuccinimidyl acetate and 2-iminothiolane strongly induced this process. Tyrosine phosphorylation induced by 5-chloro-2-methylisothiazolinone plus 2-methylisothiazolinone and 2, 4, 6-trinitrochlorobenzene was completely prevented in the presence of cysteine but not lysine, suggesting a competitive mechanism between cysteine and sulfhydryl groups of cell proteins. Using the mouse ear swelling test N-hydroxymaleimide could be classified as a significant contact allergen in comparison to 2, 4, 6-trinitrochlorobenzene, whereas no sensitizing potential became apparent for sulfosuccinimidyl acetate and 2-iminothiolane. Western blot analysis on monocytes and mature monocyte-derived dendritic cells confirmed the flow cytometric data for tyrosine phosphorylation and demonstrated a selective capacity of haptens and thiol-reactive compounds to activate ERK1/2 mitogen-activated protein kinase. Our data show that strong affinity of a small reactive chemical toward thiol groups is important for the activation of monocytes and monocyte-derived dendritic cells and can support the process of sensitization.

Activation and translocation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase after stimulation of monocytes with contact sensitizers.

Recently we described the induction of tyrosine phosphorylation by contact sensitizers as an early molecular event during the activation of antigen- presenting cells. In this study, the role of the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase for the activation of human monocytes after exposure to four structurally unrelated contact sensitizers was analyzed in comparison with the irritant benzalkonium chloride and an inductor of oxidative stress (H2O2) using immunofluorescence, Western blotting, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay techniques. Bio chemical analysis revealed a translocation of p38 from the cytoplasm to the detergent-resistant cell fraction only upon stimulation with contact sensitizers. The activity of p38 was studied by quantification of its phosphorylated active form with a specific antibody and by kinase assay. Although all stimulants used in this study led to the activation of p38, a translocation to the detergent-resistant fraction as well phosphorylation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase dependent transcription factor Elk-1 was induced only by contact sensitizers. Evidence for a functional relevance of mitogen-activated protein kinase activation was provided by measurement of the hapten-induced production of the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-1beta. Its release was inhibited by blocking p38-mediated signaling using the imidazole compounds SB203580 and SB202190. These data show that contact sensitizers are strong activators of the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase. Although activation of this stress-associated pathway has been reported for many other stimuli, a unique translocation of p38 from the cytoplasm to the detergent-resistant fraction seems to be a specific event during hapten-induced activation of antigen-presenting cells.