The effect of high mobility group box-1 protein on splenic dendritic cell maturation in rats.

High mobility group box-1 protein (HMGB1), a recently described late-acting cytokine that mediates lethality of sepsis and systemic inflammation, also plays a role in mediating dendritic cell (DC) maturation and activation. The present study was performed to clarify the effects of HMGB1 on splenic DCs and its potential regulating mechanism underlying T-cell-mediated immunity. DCs isolated from the spleens of normal rats were treated with HMGB1 of different dosage (0.1, 1, or 10 μg/mL) for different duration (24, 48, or 72 h). Expressions of co-stimulatory molecules, including CD80, CD86, and MHC-II on DCs surface, and cytokines, including interleukin (IL)-12, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, were analyzed to identify DCs maturation and activation. The activated DCs were assessed for their capacity to stimulate the proliferation and differentiation of T cells. Expression of the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) on DCs and nuclear factor (NF)-κB activation in T lymphocytes were also determin...