The human β-glucan receptor is widely expressed and functionally equivalent to murine Dectin-1 on primary cells

We identified the C-type-lectin-like receptor, Dectin-1, as the major receptor for fungal β-glucans on murine macrophages and have demonstrated that it plays a significant role in the cellular response to these carbohydrates. Using two novel, isoform-specific mAb, we show here that human Dectin-1, the β-glucan receptor (βGR), is widely expressed and present on all monocyte populations as well as macrophages, DC, neutrophils and eosinophils. This receptor is also expressed on B cells and a subpopulation of T cells, demonstrating that human Dectin-1 is not myeloid restricted. Both major functional βGR isoforms - βGR-A and βGR-B - were expressed by these cell populations in peripheral blood; however, only βGR-B was significantly expressed on mature monocyte-derived macrophages and immature DC, suggesting cell-specific control of isoform expression. Inflammatory cells, recruited in vivo using a new skin-window technique, demonstrated that Dectin-1 expression was not significantly modulated on macrophages during inflammation, but is decreased on recruited granulocytes. Despite previous reports detailing the involvement of other β-glucan receptors on mature human macrophages, we have demonstrated that Dectin-1 acted as the major β-glucan receptor on these cells and contributed to the inflammatory response to these carbohydrates.