MIGRATION OF DENDRITIC CELLS IN RESPONSE TO FORMYL PEPTIDES, C5A, ANDA DISTINCT SET OF CHEMOKINES

Trafficking to tissues and then to lymph nodes is a crucial aspect of the immunobiology of dendritic cells. The present study was designed t o identify molecules able to direct the migration of human blood-deriv ed dendritic cells. fMLP (representative of formyl peptides of bacteri al origin), C5a, and the C-C chemokines monocyte chemotactic protein ( MCP)-3, MIP-1 alpha/LD78, and RANTES elicited chemotactic migration an d a rise of intracellular free calcium in dendritic cells. In contrast , the C-X-C chemokines IL-8 and IP-10 and the C-C chemokines MCP-1 and MCP-2 were inactive as chemoattractants. Thus, dendritic cells respon d to classical chemotactic signals and to a set of chemokines distinct from that active on monocytes and neutrophils. Chemoattractants are l ikely to contribute to localization and trafficking of dendritic cells and provide tools to recruit these cells in the design of immunizatio n strategies.