Identification of genes specifically expressed in human activated and mature dendritic cells through serial analysis of gene expression.

Dendritic cells (DCs) are professional antigen-presenting cells in the immune system and can be generated in vitro from hematopoietic progenitor cells, DC precursors, and monocytes in peripheral blood. Serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE) was conducted in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated mature and activated DCs (MADCs) derived from human blood monocytes. A total of 31 837 tag sequences from an MADC cDNA library represented 10 962 different genes, and these data were compared with SAGE data for monocyte-derived immature DCs (IMDCs). Many of the genes, such as germinal center kinase-related protein kinase, cystatin F, interferon (IFN)-alpha-inducible protein p27, EBI3, HEM45, actin-bundling protein, ELC, DC-LAMP, serine/threonine kinase 4, and several genes in expressed sequence tags, were differentially expressed in MADCs, and those encode proteins related to cell structure, antigen-processing enzymes, chemokines, and IFN-inducible proteins. The profile of MADCs was also compared with that of LPS-stimulated monocytes. The Epstein-Barr virus-induced gene 3 and IFN-alpha-inducible protein p27 are newly identified to be specifically and highly expressed in MADCs, but not in LPS-stimulated monocytes. The comprehensive identification of specific genes expressed in human IMDCs and MADCs should provide candidate genes to define heterogeneous subsets as well as the function and maturation stage of DCs.