Differential use of autophagy by primary dendritic cells specialized in cross-presentation

Abstract

Antigen-presenting cells survey their environment and present captured antigens bound to major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules. Formation of MHC-antigen complexes occurs in specialized compartments where multiple protein trafficking routes, still incompletely understood, converge. Autophagy is a route that enables the presentation of cytosolic antigen by MHC class II molecules. Some reports also implicate autophagy in the presentation of extracellular, endocytosed antigen by MHC class I molecules, a pathway termed “cross-presentation.” The role of autophagy in cross-presentation is controversial. This may be due to studies using different types of antigen presenting cells for whic..