Diptheria toxin dependent depletion and engraftment kinetics of dendritic cell subsets in the lungs of chimeric zDC+/DTR mice

Introduction: Dendritic cells (DC) are suggested to play a role in various diffuse parenchymal lung diseases, but their pathogenetic relevance is poorly defined, due to lack of appropriate techniques to specifically deplete pulmonary DCsubsets. Methods: We here characterized the kinetics of diphtheria toxin (DT) -induced selective depletion of pulmonary DC and its repopulation within the lung by employing CD45.2pos zDC+/DTR mice expressing human diphtheria toxin receptor (DTR) under control of the DC-specific transcription factor zbtb46 (zDC), allowing specific depletion of DC while sparing macrophages. Bone mar…