Characterization of dendritic cells expressing the glycoprotein Plet-1.

• Main Author: Teo, Zi Yang.
• Other Authors: Ruedl Christiane
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2013
• Subjects: DRNTU::Science::Biological sciences::Molecular biology
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/52905
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Dendritic cells (DCs) are vital Antigen-Presenting Cells (APCs) specialized in capturing, processing and presenting of self or foreign antigens to immune cells such as naïve T cells. They are important mediators between the innate and adaptive immune. Also, they help maintain the immune balance between tolerogenicity and immunogenicity. Placenta expressed transcript-1 (Plet-1) is an orphan glycoprotein found to be expressed on various cells and organs. However, the function of these Plet-1 associated cells and organs still remain unclear. In Ruedl’s Laboratory, for the very first time, Plet-1 mRNA was found to be the most highly expressed in Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulated Factor (GMCSF) stimulated DCs. In addition, the existence of DCs expressing Plet-1 on lymphoid organs such as the peripheral lymph nodes, mesenteric lymph nodes, peyer’s patches and colonic lamina propria (cLP) was also later proven. To further characterize Plet-1+ DCs, in this study for the first time, we investigated on the Plet-1+ DCs using the Dextran Sodium Sulphate (DSS)-induced colitis model to induce intestinal inflammation on mice. We aim to elucidate whether Plet-1+ DCs are recruited or enhanced during inflammation. Our results revealed that Plet-1+ DCs show a strong indication towards playing a role in inflammation and that GMCSF stimulation is important in facilitating the production and upregulation of Plet-1+ DCs. In addition, we proved that the age of the mice may not be a contributing factor towards the fluctuating Plet-1+ DC population among repeats. We speculate that Plet-1+ DC play a critical role intestinal inflammation such as in colitis.