Fig. 5

Activated dendritic cells increase pruritogen-responsive neurons via inducing itch receptors in an in vitro study. Pruritogens induced intracellular Ca²⁺ increase in mouse sensory neuron showed a significant response to compound 48/80 and histamine in DRG co-culture with DCs group comparing to DRG monoculture: (A) Direct co-culture with stimulation, (B) Indirect co-culture with stimulation and (C) Direct co-culture without stimulation. (D) Agonists of itch receptors induced intracellular Ca²⁺ increase in mouse sensory neuron showed a significant response to AITC, HTMT, GSK1016790A and capsaicin in DRG neurons of direct co-culture with DCs group. Data are presented as the percentage of responsive cell per total DRG neuron (N = 3, * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, Fisher exact test). (E) Representative tracing of Ca²⁺ response (increased F340/F380) for a single neuron to agonists of itch receptors. Total IL-1β (F) and TNF-α (G) Content in supernatant of co-cultures between DRG neurons and DCs. (H) The relation of expression of TRPV4 in DRG of co-culture with DCs compared to DRG monoculture. (I) Immunofluorescence analysis of TRPV4 expression in DRG of co-culture with DCs compared to DRG monoculture. Results are expressed as mean ± S.D. (N = 3 * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, Independent t-test vs. control group)