Dendritic cells as a target of immunosuppressive drugs

For a long time, it has been recognized that dendritic cells (DCs) play a pivotal role in the induction of immune responses, including alloimmunity. More recently, it has become clear that DCs are also central players in the other extreme end of immune regulation (ie, tolerance induction). Initially, it was proposed that different DC lineages might be responsible for these different activities. However, in addition, the differentiation/maturation stage of DCs determines its functional capacity. In recent years, it has been shown that several pharmacological agents have the capacity to control or direct these DC functions. In the present review, we will give an overview of these findings and especially discuss these in the view of strategies to induce allospecific tolerance in transplantation.