Stromal Regulation of Human Gastric Dendritic Cells Restricts the Th1 Response to Helicobacter pylori

Background & AimsMucosal dendritic cells (DCs) play a key role in initiating the T-helper (Th)1 response to Helicobacter pylori. To further elucidate the mucosal response to H pylori, we examined whether gastric stromal factors condition DCs to support tolerance to H pylori, analogous to intestinal stromal factor–driven macrophage tolerance to commensal bacteria.MethodsTo model mucosal DC development, we isolated and cultured cell-depleted human stroma/extracellular matrix from fresh gastric and intestinal mucosa to generate stroma-conditioned media. We then analyzed the capacity of stroma-conditioned media–treated monocyte-derived DCs and primary human gastric and intestinal DCs pulsed in vitro with H pylori to induce T-cell proliferation and interferon gamma secretion.ResultsStromal factors in gastric mucosa suppressed H pylori–stimulated DC activation and the ability of DCs to drive a Th1 proliferative and cytokine response to H pylori. The ability of gastric stromal factors to down-regulate DC function was similar to that of intestinal stromal factors and was independent of transforming growth factor β, prostaglandin E2, interleukin (IL)-10, and thymic stromal lymphopoietin. Stroma-conditioned media–induced reduction in DC-stimulated Th1 responses was associated with reduced DC release of IL-12.ConclusionsGastric stromal factors down-regulate DC responsiveness to H pylori, resulting in a dampened gastric Th1 response. We speculate that stroma-induced down-regulation of DC function contributes to the permissiveness of both gastric and intestinal mucosa to colonization by persistent residential microbes.