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Clinical and Vaccine Immunology, November 2006, p. 1278-1286, Vol. 13, No. 11
1071-412X/06/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/CVI.00172-06
Copyright © 2006, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Analysis of Plasmacytoid and Myeloid Dendritic Cells in Nasal Epithelium

Evelyn Hartmann,¹ Hendrik Graefe,⁴ Anne Hopert,⁴ Ralph Pries,⁴ Simon Rothenfusser,³ Hendrik Poeck,³ Brigitte Mack,¹ Stefan Endres,³ Gunther Hartmann,² and Barbara Wollenberg^4*

Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Munich, Munich, Germany,¹ Department of Clinical Pharmacology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany,² Department of Internal Medicine and Division of Clinical Pharmacology, University of Munich, Munich, Germany,³ Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Luebeck, Luebeck, Germany⁴

Received 11 May 2006/ Returned for modification 19 June 2006/ Accepted 17 August 2006

The role of plasmacytoid dendritic cells (PDC), the major producers of alpha interferon upon viral infection, in the nasal mucosa is largely unknown. Here we examined the presence of PDC together with myeloid dendritic cells (MDC) in the nasal epithelia of healthy individuals, of asymptomatic patients with chronic nasal allergy, of patients undergoing steroid therapy, and of patients with infectious rhinitis or rhinosinusitis. Considerable numbers of PDC and MDC could be detected in the nasal epithelium. Furthermore, we demonstrate the expression of SDF-1, the major chemoattractant for PDC, in the nasal epithelium. PDC levels were significantly lower for patients with allergies than for healthy individuals. Interestingly, PDC and MDC were almost absent from patients who received treatment with glucocorticoids, while very high numbers of PDC were found for patients with recent upper respiratory tract infections. Our results demonstrate for the first time a quantitative analysis of PDC and MDC in the healthy nasal epithelium and in nasal epithelia from patients with different pathological conditions. With the identification of PDC, the major target cell for CpG DNA or immunostimulatory RNA, in the nasal epithelium, this study forms the basis for a local nasal application of such oligonucleotides for the treatment of viral infection and allergy.

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* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23538 Lübeck, Germany. Phone: 49-451 500 2240. Fax: 49-451 550 2249. E-mail: Barbara.Wollenberg{at}hno.uni-luebeck.de.

Published ahead of print on 23 August 2006.

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Clinical and Vaccine Immunology, November 2006, p. 1278-1286, Vol. 13, No. 11
1071-412X/06/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/CVI.00172-06
Copyright © 2006, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

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