Thus, DNGR-1 targeting allows for MHC class II presentation by CD8α+ DC in vivo. MHC class II:peptide complexes generated after targeting to CD8α+ DC using DEC205-specific mAb are not stable with time 21. To test whether the same was true when anti-DNGR-1 mAb was used as vector, we injected B6 mice with OVA323–339-coupled anti-DNGR1 mAb and analyzed MHC class II presentation by DC at different

time points. Consistent with the kinetics of in vivo staining, CD8α+ but not learn more CD8α− DC were able to efficiently present antigen to OT-II cells as early as 1 h after injection (Fig. 1C). Antigen presentation peaked at 6 h but was markedly reduced by 24 h (Fig. 1C). Thus, antigen targeting to CD8α+ DC using anti-DNGR-1 mAb in the absence of adjuvant leads to rapid but short-lived antigen presentation on MHC class II molecules. To monitor presentation directly in vivo, we transferred CFSE-labeled OT-II cells and 1 day later, we injected the mice with 0.5 μg of OVA323–339-coupled anti-DNGR-1 mAb, 5 μg of OVA323–339-coupled isotype-matched control, 20 μg of OVA (in the form of egg white 22; OVAegg) or 1 μg of OVA323–339 peptide. Administering antigen in untargeted form led only to limited proliferation of OT-II cells, while targeting to DNGR-1

resulted in marked cell division and accumulation (Fig. 2A). On a molar basis, we estimate that targeting to DNGR-1 was 10 to 100 times more efficient at inducing CD4+ T-cell expansion than delivery of untargeted antigen. Thus, despite the restriction of presentation to a short period of time following antigen delivery Sirolimus order (Fig. 1C), DNGR-1 targeting can induce CD4+ T-cell proliferation in

vivo, as recently reported 17. Injection of anti-DNGR-1 mAb did not lead to any detectable activation of splenic CD8α+ DC (not shown). Nevertheless, we evaluated whether antigen targeting to DNGR-1 could lead to CD4+ T-cell priming in the absence of adjuvant, as recently suggested 17. To avoid any contribution from memory or Treg, we transferred sorted naïve OT-II lymphocytes into B6 mice. One day later, the mice were injected with 0.5 μg of OVA323–339-coupled anti-DNGR-1 mAb with or without 40 μg of poly I:C, a TLR3 and RIG-I/MDA5 agonist recently described as the most potent Th1-promoting adjuvant in experiments of antigen targeting to DEC205 23. In Cepharanthine the absence of poly I:C, we observed CD4+ T-cell expansion but no detectable differentiation into Th1, Th2 or Th17 cells (Fig. 2B and C and data not shown). Consistent with the absence of immunity in these conditions, the mice did not develop a strong Ab response to rat IgG following anti-DNGR-1 injection (Fig. 3A). Low titers of anti-rat antibodies were detected only when injecting a higher dose of anti-DNGR-1 mAb (Fig. 3C), matching the one used in a previous report 17. However, the anti-rat IgG response seen with anti-DNGR-1 alone was dwarfed by that which could be induced by co-administration of poly I:C (Fig. 3C).