Oligosaccharides of hyaluronan are potent activators of dendritic cells

J Immunol. 2000 Aug 15;165(4):1863-70. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.165.4.1863.

Abstract

The extracellular matrix component hyaluronan (HA) exists physiologically as a high m.w. polymer but is cleaved at sites of inflammation, where it will be contacted by dendritic cells (DC). To determine the effects of HA on DC, HA fragments of different size were established. Only small HA fragments of tetra- and hexasaccharide size (sHA), but not of intermediate size (m.w. 80, 000-200,000) or high m.w. HA (m.w. 1,000,000-600,000) induced immunophenotypic maturation of human monocyte-derived DC (up-regulation of HLA-DR, B7-1/2, CD83, down-regulation of CD115). Likewise, only sHA increased DC production of the cytokines IL-1beta, TNF-alpha, and IL-12 as well as their allostimulatory capacity. These effects were highly specific for sHA, because they were not induced by other glycosaminoglycans such as chondroitin sulfate or heparan sulfate or their fragmentation products. Interestingly, sHA-induced DC maturation does not involve the HA receptors CD44 or the receptor for hyaluronan-mediated motility, because DC from CD44-deficient mice and wild-type mice both responded similarly to sHA stimulation, whereas the receptor for hyaluronan-mediated motility is not detectable in DC. However, TNF-alpha is an essential mediator of sHA-induced DC maturation as shown by blocking studies with a soluble TNFR1. These findings suggest that during inflammation, interaction of DC with small HA fragments induce DC maturation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adjuvants, Immunologic / isolation & purification
  • Adjuvants, Immunologic / pharmacology*
  • Animals
  • Cell Differentiation / drug effects
  • Cell Differentiation / immunology
  • Cytokines / metabolism
  • Dendritic Cells / cytology
  • Dendritic Cells / drug effects
  • Dendritic Cells / immunology*
  • Dendritic Cells / metabolism
  • Extracellular Matrix Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Extracellular Matrix Proteins / genetics
  • Extracellular Matrix Proteins / physiology
  • Glycosaminoglycans / immunology
  • Glycosaminoglycans / pharmacology
  • Humans
  • Hyaluronan Receptors / biosynthesis
  • Hyaluronan Receptors / genetics
  • Hyaluronan Receptors / physiology
  • Hyaluronic Acid / immunology*
  • Hyaluronic Acid / isolation & purification
  • Hyaluronic Acid / pharmacology
  • Immunophenotyping
  • Lipopolysaccharides / immunology
  • Lymphocyte Activation / drug effects
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Molecular Weight
  • Oligosaccharides / immunology*
  • Oligosaccharides / isolation & purification
  • Oligosaccharides / pharmacology
  • Sonication
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / physiology

Substances

  • Adjuvants, Immunologic
  • Cytokines
  • Extracellular Matrix Proteins
  • Glycosaminoglycans
  • Hyaluronan Receptors
  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • Oligosaccharides
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • hyaluronan-mediated motility receptor
  • Hyaluronic Acid