Folate deficiency affects dendritic cell function and subsequent T helper cell differentiation

Insufficient folate status may be related to the increasing prevalence of immune- or inflammation-related chronic diseases. To investigate the effects of folate on immune regulation, we examined the impact of folate deficiency (FD) on dendritic cell (DC) maturation and function, and thus T helper (Th) cells differentiation. First, bone marrow-derived DCs (BMDCs) were generated from BALB/c mice bone marrow cells cultured in folate-containing (F-BMDCs) or folate-deficient (FD-BMDCs) medium. FD-BMDC displayed more immature phenotype including reduced levels of major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC II), co-stimulatory molecules and characteristic of higher endocytic activity.

Source: The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry - November 18, 2016 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Chi-Heng Wu, Tzu-Chien Huang, Bi-Fong Lin Source Type: research