Reciprocal activating interaction between dendritic cells and pamidronate-stimulated γδ T cells: Role of CD86 and inflammatory cytokines

We investigated the interactions between human monocyte-derived dendritic cells (DCs) and Ag-activated circulating TCR-γδ-expressing lymphocytes (Vδ2). Coculture of immature DCs (iDCs) with peripheral blood Vδ2 T cells activated with either pyrophosphomonoesteis (isopentenyl pyrophosphate; IPP) or aminobiphosphonates (pamidronate; PAM) led to a significant upmodulation of CD86 and MHC class I molecules and to the acquisition of functional features typical of activated DCs. DC activation induced by both IPP- and PAM-stimulated γδ T cells was mostly mediated by TNF-α and IFN-γ secreted by activated lymphocytes. However, the effect of PAM-activated γδ T cells, but not that of IPP-activated cells, required cell-to-cell contact. Reciprocally, activation of Vδ2 T cells by PAM, but not by IPP, was dependent on cell contact with iDCs. In fact, when PAM-stimulated DC-γδ T cell cocultures were separated by a semipermeable membrane or treated with blocking anti-CD86 Abs, induction of CD25 and CD69 as well as IFN-γ and TNF-α; secretion by Vδ2 cells were strongly reduced. These results demonstrate for the first time a bidirectional activating interaction between iDCs and PAM-stimulated γδ lymphocytes, thus suggesting a potential adjuvant role of this early cross-talk in the therapeutic activity of aminobiphosphonate drugs.