AIM: To investigate the effect of advanced glycosylation end products on the expression of receptor for advanced glycosylation end products in human monocyte-derived dendritic cells. METHODS: Monocytes were purified (over 98%) using anti-CD14+ microbeads. After 8 d culture in RPMI-1640 medium containing rhGM-CSF (100 ?g/L) and rhIL-4 (50 ?g/L), immature MDCs were derived, then exposed to AGE-BSA (0 or 200 mg/L) for 24 h. Expression of RAGE was semi-quantified by RT-PCR and Western blotting. At the same time, supernatants were collected. IFN-? and IL-12 were analyzed by ELISA. RESULTS: mRNA and protein of RAGE incubated by 200 mg/L AGE-BSA was higher than that in control at 24 h. Treatment of DCs with AGE-BSA resulted in about two-fold increase in the expression of RAGE (P

AIM: The purpose of this study is to investigate the mechanisms related to oxidized low-density lipoprotein(ox-LDL) and dendritic cells(DCs) in the process of atherosclerosis.METHODS: Human DCs were prepared from human CD14~+ peripheral blood monocytes using rhGM-CSF((100 ?g/L)) and rhIL-4(40 ?g/L).Cells were incubated with(100 mg/L) native or oxidized LDL for 72 h.The formation of foam cells was investigated by electron microscopy and oil red O staining.Phenotypic and immune functional assays were used with FACS,FITC-dextran phagocytosis,allogeneic mixed T lymphocytes reaction and secretion of Th1/Th2(IL-12/IL-2) cytokines were also conduced.RESULTS: DCs treated with ox-LDL,but not native LDL were induced into foam cells after cultured for 72 h.Compared with native LDL,ox-LDL-treated DCs were less potent in FITC-dextran phagocytosis.ox-LDL promoted allogeneic T cells proliferation.Moreover,ox-LDL upregulated CD80(72.4? 9.6 vs 89.5?10.1,P