The Induction of Tolerance by Dendritic Cells That Have Captured Apoptotic Cells

Abstract

What makes a protein immunogenic, particularly for strong T cell-mediated immunity? To a first approximation, this determination seems to be made by dendritic cells (DCs). Immature DCs, as in skin (1-4), lung ( However, in order to use these antigens to stimulate a T cell response, the DCs must undergo a characteristic process of terminal differentiation called "maturation." The known stimuli for DC maturation are numerous and include inflammatory cytokines, CD40 ligand (CD40L), viral and microbial constituents such as doublestranded RNA and LPS, and certain CpG oligonucleotides.