Dendritic cells are part of our innate immune system and occupy a central position there. "These cells are particularly good at initiating an effective T-cell-mediated immune response of the acquired immune system," explains co-corresponding author Prof. Dirk Baumjohann from the Medical Clinic III for Hematology, Oncology, Immuno-Oncology and Rheumatology at the UKB, who is a member of the Cluster of Excellence ImmunoSensation2 and the Transdisciplinary Research Area (TRA) "Life & Health" at the University of Bonn. "However, it is still unclear what exactly drives their heterogeneity and functional specialization."
Previous studies have investigated the function of the protein Bcl6 in dendritic cells - in some cases with varying results. The aim of the current study is to harmonize the sometimes contradictory data using an in-depth analysis.
Bcl6 as an important transcription factor
The researchers therefore used a mouse model to investigate how the absence of Bcl6 affects all dendritic cell subgroups. "We found that in particular one specific dendritic cell subgroup (cDC2) is highly dependent on Bcl6," explains Prof. Katharina Lahl, who led the project at the Technical University of Denmark and is now continuing her work in Calgary. "Bcl6 deficiency leads to ...