Mature dendritic cells prone to immune activation, and immature dendritic cells prone to immune tolearance[15-17]. For mature dendritic cells, the ingested antigen binds to MHC Ⅱ molecules, and under the effects of synergic stimulation molecules, antigen peptide-MHC Ⅱ molecule complex binds to T cell surface TCR, and thereby to activate T cells. For immature dendritic cells, during the process of angtigen presentation, T cells can not be activated, and antigenic specific T cells inability is induced, due to lack of B7 molecules, thereby leading to antigen tolearance[18-19]. Great progress has been made to obtain tolerant dendritic cells. These methods include initial low-dose GM-CSF induction, classic GM-CSF plus interleukin 4 induction, and gene modification (transfecting transforming growth factor β, interleukin 10, sTNFR gene into mouse dendritic cells). These tolerant dendritic cells exhibit some advantages in inhibiting organ graft rejection and graft versus host disease[20-22].
Transformation of dendritic cells from immature precursor cells into mature cells is influenced by various factors, during which, changes in dendritic cell surface marker and function take place. Cytokine is an important factor that regulates the maturation of dendritic cells. An extremely small number of exogenous TNF-α added during in vitro culture can promote immature dendritic cells to develop into mature dendritic cells[7, 23-27]. Blocking TNF-α can inhibit the maturation and activation of dendritic cells. sTNFR gene, an antagonic molecule of TNF-α, can be used to modify tolerant dendritic cells and maintain their immature status, which is likely to be a more effective means to induce long-lasting immune tolerance[21]. At present, exogenous genes are transfected into dendritic cells through the use of viral vector systems, including adenoviral vector, adeno-associated viral vector, retroviral vector, and lentiviral vector. Our laboratory first successfully reconstruct a novel high titre inactivated lentiviral vector system in China, optimized internal promoters, and screened CMV promoter with highest expression efficiency[26]. The present study confirmed pCR2.1-sTNFR1 recombinant gene-engineered bacteria using enzyme digestion and nucleotide sequencing, compared sequencing factors with Genbank sequence, and obtained consistent results, without mutation. Then the pCR2.1-sTNFR1 was cloned into lentiviral transfer plasmid pXZ208, named pXZ9-sTNFR1. At 24 hours after transfecting 293FT cells, eGFP expression was observed under fluorescence microscope. Results demonstrated that viral titer exceeded 106 U/L, demonstrating that recombinant lentiviral expression vector carrying sTNFR1 gene was successfully reconstructed, and high viral titer was obtained.
(60.37±5.48) % of immature dendritic cells could be transfected by viral supernatant, and sTNFR1 mRNA and protein expression was stable, providing experimental evidence for further studying the immune tolerance of sTNFR1 gene modified immature dendritic cells during transplantation.
Some advancement has been presently made as to in vitro culture of dendritic cells. The amount of GM-CSF markedly correlates with maturation of dendritic cells cultured. Generally, high-dose GM-CSF primarily induce mature dendritic cells, while low-dose GM-CSF main induce immature dendritic cells[28-29]. 500-1 000 U/mL interleukin 4 can inhibit macrophage formation, and produce a synergistic effect with low-dose GM-CSF to enhance the amount and maturation degree of harvested cells[30]. The present study selected mouse bone marrow cells as the precursor cells of dendritic cells and used low-dose GM-CSF plus interleukin 4 to obtain higher purity of dendritic cells. This occurs possibly because GM-CSF produces proliferation-stimulating effects only on granulocytes, macrophages, and dendritic cells, while other cells, such as B cells and T cells, would gradually die during culture; granulocytes, the primarily contaminated cells, can not survive more than 10 days under the condition of 200 U/mL GM-CSF or lower concentration, and macrophages and other adherent cells would be separated in final cell harvesting. The present study also observed the development of dendritic cells. Results revealed that sTNFR1 gene could protect immature dendritic cells from activation by exogenous lipopolysaccharide, and compared with undigested immature dendritic cells, the phenotype of sTNFR1 gene-transfected immature cells did not change obviously. Exogenous lipopolysaccharide has been reported to promote dendritic cells to release TNF-α in the manner of autocrine and further promote the rapid differentiation and maturation of dendritic cells[31-32]. It is presumed that sTNFR1 gene modified immature dendritic cells maintain their immature status by local secretion of sTNFR1 to block the TNF-α autocrine by exogenous lipopolysaccharide-stimulated immature dendritic cells.