Density of CD163+CD11c+ Dendritic Cells Increases and CD103+ Dendritic Cells Decreases in the Coeliac Lesion

Abstract

AbstractCoeliac disease is a chronic inflammation of the intestinal mucosa controlled by gluten‐specific T cells restricted by disease‐associated HLA‐DQ molecules. We have previously reported that mucosal CD11c+ dendritic cells (DCs) are responsible for activation of gluten‐reactive T cells within the coeliac lesion. In mice, intestinal CD11c+ DCs comprise several functionally distinct subsets. Here, we report that HLA‐DQ+ antigen‐presenting cells (APCs) in normal human duodenal mucosa can be divided into four subsets with striking similarities to those described in mice: CD163+CD11c− macrophages (74%), and CD11c+ cells expressing either CD163 (7%), CD103 (11%) or CD1c (13%). CD103+ and CD1c+ DCs belonged to partly overlapping populations, whereas CD163+CD11c+ APCs appeared to be a distinct population. In the coeliac lesion, we found increased density of CD163+CD11c+ APCs, whereas the density of CD103+ and CD1c+ DCs was decreased, suggesting that distinct subpopulations of APCs in coeliac disease may exert different functions in the pathogenesis.