[HTML][HTML] Increased DC trafficking to lymph nodes and contact hypersensitivity in junctional adhesion molecule-A–deficient mice

MR Cera, A Del Prete, A Vecchi… - The Journal of …, 2004 - Am Soc Clin Investig
MR Cera, A Del Prete, A Vecchi, M Corada, I Martin-Padura, T Motoike, P Tonetti, G Bazzoni…
The Journal of clinical investigation, 2004Am Soc Clin Investig
Junctional adhesion molecule-A (JAM-A) is a transmembrane adhesive protein expressed at
endothelial junctions and in leukocytes. In the present work, we found that DCs also express
JAM-A. To evaluate the biological relevance of this observation, Jam-A–/–mice were
generated and the functional behavior of DCs in vitro and in vivo was studied. In vitro, Jam-A–
/–DCs showed a selective increase in random motility and in the capacity to transmigrate
across lymphatic endothelial cells. In vivo, Jam-A–/–mice showed enhanced DC migration to …
Junctional adhesion molecule-A (JAM-A) is a transmembrane adhesive protein expressed at endothelial junctions and in leukocytes. In the present work, we found that DCs also express JAM-A. To evaluate the biological relevance of this observation, Jam-A–/– mice were generated and the functional behavior of DCs in vitro and in vivo was studied. In vitro, Jam-A–/– DCs showed a selective increase in random motility and in the capacity to transmigrate across lymphatic endothelial cells. In vivo, Jam-A–/– mice showed enhanced DC migration to lymph nodes, which was not observed in mice with endothelium-restricted deficiency of the protein. Furthermore, increased DC migration to lymph nodes was associated with enhanced contact hypersensitivity (CHS). Adoptive transfer experiments showed that JAM-Adeficient DCs elicited increased CHS in Jam-A+/+ mice, further supporting the concept of a DC-specific effect. Thus, we identified here a novel, non-redundant role of JAM-A in controlling DC motility, trafficking to lymph nodes, and activation of specific immunity.
The Journal of Clinical Investigation