Localization of Distinct Peyer's Patch Dendritic Cell Subsets and Their Recruitment by Chemokines Macrophage Inflammatory Protein (Mip)-3α, Mip-3β, and Secondary Lymphoid Organ Chemokine

We describe the anatomical localization of three distinct dendritic cell (DC) subsets in the murine Peyer's patch (PP) and explore the role of chemokines in their recruitment. By two-color in situ immunofluorescence, CD11b+ myeloid DCs were determined to be present in the subepithelial dome (SED) region, whereas CD8α+ lymphoid DCs are present in the T cell–rich interfollicular region (IFR). DCs that lack expression of CD8α or CD11b (double negative) are present in both the SED and IFR. By in situ hybridization, macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-3α mRNA was dramatically expressed only by the follicle-associated epithelium overlying the SED, while its receptor, CCR6, was concentrated in the SED. In contrast, CCR7 was expressed predominantly in the IFR. Consistent with these findings, reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction analysis and in vitro chemotaxis assays using freshly isolated DCs revealed that CCR6 was functionally expressed only by DC subsets present in the SED, while all subsets expressed functional CCR7. Moreover, none of the splenic DC subsets migrated toward MIP-3α. These data support a distinct role for MIP-3α/CCR6 in recruitment of CD11b+ DCs toward the mu