Vascular endothelial growth factor inhibits dendritic cell maturation

Author(s)

Marti, Luciana Cavalheiro ; Tobo, Patricia Renovato ; Souza Ramos de Carvalho, Ana Carolina ; do Carmo, Alipio Oliveira ; Okamoto, Oswaldo Keith ; Moreira-Filho, Carlos Alberto

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Einstein (São Paulo); v. 3, n. 1, p. 5-pg., 2005-01-01.

Abstract

Objective: In this paper we investigated the effects of vascular endothelial growth factor on dendritic cells differentiation and maturation from monocytic precursors. Methods: CD14+/CD34progenitor cells were obtained from umbilical cord blood, purified by magnetic cell sorting, and cultivated with IL-4 and GM-CSF, in the presence or absence of vascular endothelial growth factor. Maturation of dendritic cells was induced after six days of culture by 24h-treatment with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Results: Expression of marker proteins for immature (CD14 and DC-SIGN) and mature(CD83) dendritic cells was detected by fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry using monoclonal antibodies (mAb). Under proper differentiating conditions, treatment with vascular endothelial growth factor did not change the expression of immature DC markers. Following maturation with LPS, increased amount of CD14+ and DC-SIGN+ cells and decreased CD83+ cell population were detected in vascular endothelial growth factortreated cultures. Conclusions: Our data suggest that vascular endothelial growth factor does not affect the differentiation of CD14+/CD34-progenitor cells into immature dendritic cells, but it reduces the efficiency of dendritic cells maturation in vitro. This vascular endothelial growth factor-mediated effect on dendritic cells function may influence anti-tumor immune responses. (AU)