Volume 180 October 1994 1263–1272 | Christophe Caux, Catherine Massacrier, Béatrice Vanbervliet, Bertrand Dubois, Cees Van Kooten, Isabelle Durand, and Jacques Banchereau
This study investigates the activation of dendritic Langerhans cells (D-Lc) through CD40 cross-linking. D-Lc, generated from cord blood CD34+ progenitor cells, express functional CD40 at higher levels than B cells. CD40 activation on D-Lc leads to increased survival, morphological changes, upregulation of accessory molecules (CD58, CD80, CD86), and secretion of specific cytokines (TNF-α, IL-8, MIP-1α). CD40 engagement also induces the expression of CD25, a molecule typically found on interdigitating dendritic cells. The study demonstrates that CD40 activation on D-Lc mimics physiological interactions between dendritic cells and T cells, suggesting a role for CD40 in T cell priming and immune responses.This study investigates the activation of dendritic Langerhans cells (D-Lc) through CD40 cross-linking. D-Lc, generated from cord blood CD34+ progenitor cells, express functional CD40 at higher levels than B cells. CD40 activation on D-Lc leads to increased survival, morphological changes, upregulation of accessory molecules (CD58, CD80, CD86), and secretion of specific cytokines (TNF-α, IL-8, MIP-1α). CD40 engagement also induces the expression of CD25, a molecule typically found on interdigitating dendritic cells. The study demonstrates that CD40 activation on D-Lc mimics physiological interactions between dendritic cells and T cells, suggesting a role for CD40 in T cell priming and immune responses.