Ribotoxic stress activates p38 and JNK kinases and modulates the antigen-presenting activity of dendritic cells

Abstract Initiation of adaptive immunity requires activation of dendritic cells (DC) by “danger” signals. This study examines the functional consequences of activating a cellular stress response in human DC. Anisomycin, a potent inducer of this “stress” response, selectively activates p38 kinase in DC at low concentrations, and both p38 kinases and JNKs at higher concentrations. Activation of p38, was accompanied by an increase in the potency of dendritic cells to activate T cells. In contrast to LPS, anisomycin had no effect on the expression of several DC activation markers. Anisomycin synergised with LPS in driving release of IL-12 and TNF-α. Anisomycin also enhanced the formation of clusters between DC and T cells. Enhanced cytokine release and clustering were both inhibited by the selective p38α and p38β inhibitor SB203580. This study demonstrates that the cellular stress response, mediated via p38 kinases, plays an important role in the regulation of several aspects of DC function.