Generation and functional characterization of mouse monocyte-derived dendritic cells

Dendritic cells (DC) are potent antigen-presenting cells with the unique ca pacity to initiate primary immune responses. As a result, DC are currently used in clinical studies to induce immunity against infectious disease and malignant cells. However, multiple DC subsets exist and it has been suggest ed that the type of DC may affect the immune response induced. The vast maj ority of DC used in experimental mouse tumor models is derived from bone ma rrow progenitors. In contrast, most in vitro as well as in vivo human studi es involve the use of DC generated from adherent peripheral blood-derived m onocytes in the presence of GM-CSF and IL-4. In the current report, we desc ribe for the first time the generation and characterization of mouse monocy te-derived DC (MODC). The results indicate that mouse MODC display similar morphology, phenotype and immunostimulatory activity as compared to bone ma rrow-derived DC. Both DC subsets were able to efficiently take up and subse quently cross-present protein antigen to cytotoxic T cells. Moreover, we de monstrate that vaccination with peptide-loaded MODC mediates induction of t umor-reactive immunity in vivo. The isolation and characterization of mouse MODC will provide a valuable research tool to investigate fundamental aspe cts of DC biology and which DC subsets are most suitable to induce anti-tum or immunity.