Figure 1.

DCs mobilized from ocular surface confer increased CCR7 expression in the lymphoid compartment of AC-induced mice. A: MACS-sorted T cells harvested from OVA/Alum-primed mice were adoptively transferred into naive hosts (1). Subsequently hosts were challenged once daily for at least 10 days via topical instillation of OVA-loaded drops to one eye (2). Mice were then rested for several weeks (3), and subsequently SCJ injected with eGFP⁺ DCs (4), followed by immediate stimulation with Texas Red-conjugated OVA eye drops (5). B: Identification of SCJ-injected eGFP+ DCs that are OVA⁺ in ipsilateral LNs of AC-induced hosts. FACS analysis of DCs was performed on ipsilateral (ipsi) and contralateral (contra) LNs. OVA⁺ CD11c⁺ cells were gated on and subsequently eGFP⁺ CD11c⁺ frequencies were enumerated. C: SCJ-injected eGFP⁺ DCs that are OVA⁺ confer increased CCR7 expression in LNs of AC-induced mice. By flow cytometry and real-time PCR, in vitro generated eGFP⁺ DCs prior SCJ injection were directly compared with CD11c⁺ eGFP⁺ OVA⁺ DCs found in ipsi LNs of AC-induced mice. Each experimental group represents n = 3 hosts; data are representative of multiple independent experiments.