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This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: jimmunol.0900890v1 183/4/2456    most recent Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Google Scholar Articles by van Velzen, M. Articles by Verjans, G. M. G. M. PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by van Velzen, M. Articles by Verjans, G. M. G. M.

Neuron-Interacting Satellite Glial Cells in Human Trigeminal Ganglia Have an APC Phenotype¹

Monique van Velzen^*, Jon D. Laman^,, Alex KleinJan, Angelique Poot^*, Albert D. M. E. Osterhaus^* and Georges M. G. M. Verjans^2,*

^* Department of Virology, Department of Immunology, MS Center ErasMS, and Pulmonary Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

Satellite glial cells (SGC) in sensory ganglia tightly envelop the neuronal cell body to form discrete anatomical units. This type of glial cell is considered neuroectoderm-derived and provides physical support to neuron somata. There are scattered hints in the literature suggesting that SGC have an immune-related function within sensory ganglia. In this study, we addressed the hypothesis that SGC are tissue-resident APC. The immune phenotype and function of a large series (n = 40) of human trigeminal ganglia (TG) were assessed by detailed flow cytometry, in situ analyses, and functional in vitro assays. Human TG-resident SGC (TG-SGC) uniformly expressed the common leukocyte marker CD45, albeit at lower levels compared with infiltrating T cells, and the macrophage markers CD14, CD68, and CD11b. In addition, TG-SGC expressed the myeloid dendritic cell (DC) marker CD11c, the T cell costimulatory molecules CD40, CD54, CD80, and CD86 and MHC class II. However, the mature DC marker CD83 was absent on TG-SGC. Functionally, TG-SGC phagocytosed fluorescent bacteria, but were unable to induce an allogeneic MLR. Finally, TG-infiltrating T cells expressed the T cell inhibitory molecules CD94/NKG2A and PD-1, and the interacting TG-SGC expressed the cognate ligands HLA-E and PD-L1, respectively. In conclusion, the data demonstrate that human TG-SGC have a unique leukocyte phenotype, with features of both macrophages and immature myeloid DC, indicating that they have a role as TG-resident APC with potential T cell modulatory properties.

The costs of publication of this article were defrayed in part by the payment of page charges. This article must therefore be hereby marked advertisement in accordance with 18 U.S.C. Section 1734 solely to indicate this fact.

¹ This study was supported in part by the International Consortium on Anti-Virals (to M.v.V.) and the Dutch MS Research Foundation (to J.D.L.).

² Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. Georges M.G.M. Verjans, Department of Virology, Room Ee1720a, Erasmus Medical Center, s-Gravendijkwal 230, 3015 CE Rotterdam, the Netherlands. E-mail address: g.verjans{at}erasmusmc.nl

³ Abbreviations used in this paper: SGC, satellite glial cell; DC, dendritic cell; TG, trigeminal ganglia; PD, programmed death; PD-L1, PD ligand l.