Role of mucosal dendritic cells in inflammatory bowel disease

Figure 1 Bacterial and food antigens are continuously surveyed by the mucosal immune system, processed and transported via the lymph to mesenteric lymph nodes or via the portal vein to the liver. DCs present processed luminal antigens to naïve T cells to achieve tolerance or to initiate host defence to pathogens.

Figure 2 DCs continuously survey the intestinal lumen, phagocytose and process luminal antigens and present them to T cells, which will differentiate in presence of IL-6 and TGF-β to IL-17A and IL-17F producing TH17 cells, in presence of IL-12 and IFN-γ into TH1 cells or in presence of IL-4 into TH2 cells. nTreg, natural occurring regulatory T cell; iTreg, inducible regulatory T cells; Tr1, regulating T cell.