A Distinct Dendritic Cell Population Arises In The Thymus Of Il-13r Alpha 1-Sufficient But Not Il-13r Alpha 1-Deficient

IL-13 receptor alpha 1 (IL-13R alpha 1) associates with IL-4R alpha to form a functional IL-4R alpha/IL-13R alpha 1 heteroreceptor (HR) through which both IL-4 and IL-13 signal. Recently, HR expression was associated with the development of M2 type macrophages which function as antigen presenting cells (APCs). Herein, we show that a subset of thymic resident dendritic cells (DCs) expressing high CD11b (CD11b(hi)) and intermediate CD11c (CD11c(int)) arise in HR-sufficient but not HR-deficient mice. These DCs, which originate from the bone marrow are able to take up Ag from the peritoneum, traffic through the spleen and the lymph nodes and carry it to the thymus. In addition, since the DCs are able to present Ag to T cells, express high levels of the costimulatory molecule CD24, and comprise a CD8 alpha(+) subset, it is likely that the cells contribute to T cell development and perhaps negative selection of self-reactive lymphocytes.