{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,18]],"date-time":"2026-08-18T04:21:39Z","timestamp":1787026899180,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":83,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,9]],"date-time":"2026-02-09T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1770595200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/100010146","name":"Alzheimer Forschung Initiative","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100010146","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001659","name":"German Research Foundation","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001659","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"crossref"}]},{"name":"DFG"},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001659","name":"German Research Foundation","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","award":["DA1151"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["DA1151"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001659","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"crossref"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001659","name":"German Research Foundation","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","award":["FOR2107"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["FOR2107"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001659","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"crossref"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Cell. Neurosci."],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Introduction<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a revalent and disabling condition increasingly associated with immune dysregulation. Dendritic cells (DCs) are key immune sentinels that shape inflammatory responses and T-cell polarization, including Th17 pathways implicated in depression-related mild inflammation. Given well-documented sex differences in immune responses and cytokine profiles in MDD, differential DC activation may represent a mechanistic link between sex-associated immune cell profiles in depression. However, DCs remain insufficiently characterized in MDD.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      We performed an exploratory study using flow cytometry-based immunophenotyping to assess circulating DC subsets, including CD1c\n                      <jats:sup>+<\/jats:sup>\n                      and CD141\n                      <jats:sup>+<\/jats:sup>\n                      conventional DCs (cDCs), plasmacytoid DCs (pDCs), and their cytokine profiles in individuals with MDD (\n                      <jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\n                      = 55) and healthy controls (HC,\n                      <jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\n                      = 32). Stratification by depression severity and sex, together with correlation and multivariate linear regression analyses, and cluster analysis, was used to examine associations between DC subsets and depressive symptom severity in females and males.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      Stratification by HAM-D17 scores revealed reduced counts of pDCs and increased frequencies of CD11c\n                      <jats:sup>+<\/jats:sup>\n                      cDCs in the peripheral blood (PB) of severely depressed participants compared to HC or mildly depressed patients, respectively. Regarding cytokine-producing DCs, sex-stratified analyses showed that frequencies of IL-23\n                      <jats:sup>+<\/jats:sup>\n                      cDCs were elevated and symptom-associated only in females with MDD compared to sex-matched controls, whereas frequencies of TNF\n                      <jats:sup>+<\/jats:sup>\n                      , IL-1\u03b2\n                      <jats:sup>+<\/jats:sup>\n                      , and IL-6\n                      <jats:sup>+<\/jats:sup>\n                      cDCs were selectively increased in depressed males. Cluster analyses identified distinct female- and male-specific DC subset patterns distinguishing individuals with MDD from HC. Multivariate linear regression revealed a significant predictive contribution of cytokine-producing DCs, together with age and BMI, in females but not in males.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Discussion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      These findings demonstrate sex-specific alterations in cytokine-producing DCs in MDD and a strong association between IL-23\n                      <jats:sup>+<\/jats:sup>\n                      cDCs and depressive symptom severity, suggesting a key role for these cells in immune dysregulation, particularly in females with depression.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fncel.2026.1753241","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,9]],"date-time":"2026-02-09T07:49:36Z","timestamp":1770623376000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Distinct cytokine-producing dendritic cell profiles in females and males with major depressive disorder"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"20","author":[{"given":"Anna-Lena","family":"Boller","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychiatry, University of M\u00fcnster","place":["M\u00fcnster, Germany"]},{"name":"Cells in Motion Interfaculty Cluster, University of M\u00fcnster","place":["M\u00fcnster, Germany"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jana","family":"Freff","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychiatry, University of M\u00fcnster","place":["M\u00fcnster, Germany"]},{"name":"Cells in Motion Interfaculty Cluster, University of M\u00fcnster","place":["M\u00fcnster, Germany"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Maximilian","family":"Bast","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychiatry, University of M\u00fcnster","place":["M\u00fcnster, Germany"]},{"name":"Cells in Motion Interfaculty Cluster, University of M\u00fcnster","place":["M\u00fcnster, Germany"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Kathrin","family":"Schwarte","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychiatry, University of M\u00fcnster","place":["M\u00fcnster, Germany"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Udo","family":"Dannlowski","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute for Translational Psychiatry, University of M\u00fcnster","place":["M\u00fcnster, Germany"]},{"name":"Department of Psychiatry, Medical School and University Medical Center OWL, Protestant Hospital of the Bethel Foundation, Bielefeld University","place":["Bielefeld, Germany"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Bernhard T.","family":"Baune","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychiatry, University of M\u00fcnster","place":["M\u00fcnster, Germany"]},{"name":"Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne","place":["Melbourne, VIC, Australia"]},{"name":"The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne","place":["Melbourne, VIC, Australia"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Stefanie","family":"Scheu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Immunology, University Medical Center Rostock","place":["Rostock, Germany"]},{"name":"Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hospital Hygiene, Medical Faculty and University Hospital D\u00fcsseldorf, Heinrich Heine University","place":["D\u00fcsseldorf, Germany"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Judith","family":"Alferink","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychiatry, University of M\u00fcnster","place":["M\u00fcnster, Germany"]},{"name":"Cells in Motion Interfaculty Cluster, University of M\u00fcnster","place":["M\u00fcnster, Germany"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,9]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"90","DOI":"10.1007\/s11481-017-9763-4","article-title":"Altered b cell homeostasis in patients with major depressive disorder and normalization of CD5 surface expression on regulatory b cells in treatment responders","volume":"13","author":"Ahmetspahic","year":"2018","journal-title":"J. NeuroImmune Pharmacol."},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"778","DOI":"10.3389\/fimmu.2019.00778","article-title":"Sources of type I interferons in infectious immunity: plasmacytoid dendritic cells not always in the driver's seat","volume":"10","author":"Ali","year":"2019","journal-title":"Front. Immunol."},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"141","DOI":"10.3389\/fnbeh.2018.00141","article-title":"Alterations of the innate immune system in susceptibility and resilience after social defeat stress","volume":"12","author":"Ambree","year":"2018","journal-title":"Front. Behav. Neurosci."},{"key":"ref4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"224","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jpsychires.2023.11.029","article-title":"Plasma cytokine and growth factor response to acute psychosocial stress in major depressive disorder","volume":"169","author":"Annam","year":"2024","journal-title":"J. Psychiatr. Res."},{"key":"ref5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"485","DOI":"10.1007\/s11739-011-0628-1","article-title":"Bone mineral density, quantitative ultrasound parameters and bone metabolism in postmenopausal women with depression","volume":"8","author":"Atteritano","year":"2013","journal-title":"Intern. Emerg. Med."},{"key":"ref6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1016\/bs.ircmb.2019.07.004","article-title":"Dendritic cell subsets and locations","volume":"348","author":"Balan","year":"2019","journal-title":"Int. Rev. Cell Mol. Biol."},{"key":"ref7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"4447","DOI":"10.4049\/jimmunol.1500383","article-title":"Cutting edge: IFN-beta expression in the spleen is restricted to a subpopulation of plasmacytoid dendritic cells exhibiting a specific immune modulatory transcriptome signature","volume":"196","author":"Bauer","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Immunol."},{"key":"ref8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"622","DOI":"10.1016\/j.biopsych.2012.09.021","article-title":"Inflammatory T helper 17 cells promote depression-like behavior in mice","volume":"73","author":"Beurel","year":"2013","journal-title":"Biol. Psychiatry"},{"key":"ref9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"28","DOI":"10.1016\/j.bbi.2017.08.001","article-title":"Th17 cells in depression","volume":"69","author":"Beurel","year":"2018","journal-title":"Brain Behav. Immun."},{"key":"ref10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"234","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neuron.2020.06.002","article-title":"The bidirectional relationship of depression and inflammation: double trouble","volume":"107","author":"Beurel","year":"2020","journal-title":"Neuron"},{"key":"ref11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"709","DOI":"10.1016\/j.bbi.2025.07.004","article-title":"The role of the risk gene CACNA1C in neuroinflammation and peripheral immunity in autism spectrum disorder","volume":"129","author":"Boller","year":"2025","journal-title":"Brain Behav. Immun."},{"key":"ref12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"287","DOI":"10.1093\/intimm\/dxl145","article-title":"Progesterone inhibits mature rat dendritic cells in a receptor-mediated fashion","volume":"19","author":"Butts","year":"2007","journal-title":"Int. Immunol."},{"key":"ref13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"131","DOI":"10.1146\/annurev-immunol-061020-053707","article-title":"Dendritic cells revisited","volume":"39","author":"Cabeza-Cabrerizo","year":"2021","journal-title":"Annu. Rev. Immunol."},{"key":"ref14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"115881","DOI":"10.1016\/j.psychres.2024.115881","article-title":"Childhood neglect, the neglected trauma. A systematic review and meta-analysis of its prevalence in psychiatric disorders","volume":"335","author":"Carvalho Silva","year":"2024","journal-title":"Psychiatry Res."},{"key":"ref15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"933","DOI":"10.1189\/jlb.0708419","article-title":"Regulation of dendritic cell survival and cytokine production by osteoprotegerin","volume":"86","author":"Chino","year":"2009","journal-title":"J. Leukoc. Biol."},{"key":"ref16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2037","DOI":"10.1182\/blood-2005-07-2760","article-title":"GILZ expression in human dendritic cells redirects their maturation and prevents antigen-specific T lymphocyte response","volume":"107","author":"Cohen","year":"2006","journal-title":"Blood"},{"key":"ref17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"39","DOI":"10.1159\/000478862","article-title":"Plasma BDNF level in major depression: biomarker of the Val66Met BDNF polymorphism and of the clinical course in met carrier patients","volume":"75","author":"Colle","year":"2017","journal-title":"Neuropsychobiology"},{"key":"ref18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3","DOI":"10.1111\/imm.12888","article-title":"Human dendritic cell subsets: an update","volume":"154","author":"Collin","year":"2018","journal-title":"Immunology"},{"key":"ref19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1016\/j.semcdb.2018.04.015","article-title":"Human dendritic cells","volume":"86","author":"Collin","year":"2019","journal-title":"Semin. Cell Dev. Biol."},{"key":"ref20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"254","DOI":"10.1038\/s41398-024-02902-2","article-title":"Decoding the inflammatory signature of the major depressive episode: insights from peripheral immunophenotyping in active and remitted condition, a case-control study","volume":"14","author":"Daray","year":"2024","journal-title":"Transl. Psychiatry"},{"key":"ref21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"8170","DOI":"10.1007\/s12035-016-0309-1","article-title":"Functional implications of the IL-23\/IL-17 immune Axis in schizophrenia","volume":"54","author":"Debnath","year":"2017","journal-title":"Mol. Neurobiol."},{"key":"ref22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2","DOI":"10.1159\/000531588","article-title":"Depression in women: potential biological and sociocultural factors driving the sex effect","volume":"83","author":"Di Benedetto","year":"2024","journal-title":"Neuropsychobiology"},{"key":"ref23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"446","DOI":"10.1016\/j.biopsych.2009.09.033","article-title":"A meta-analysis of cytokines in major depression","volume":"67","author":"Dowlati","year":"2010","journal-title":"Biol. Psychiatry"},{"key":"ref24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"15","DOI":"10.3892\/br.2016.807","article-title":"Role of inflammatory cytokines in depression: focus on interleukin-1beta","volume":"6","author":"Farooq","year":"2017","journal-title":"Biomed Rep."},{"key":"ref25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2","DOI":"10.1016\/j.bbi.2017.10.025","article-title":"Depression and sterile inflammation: essential role of danger associated molecular patterns","volume":"72","author":"Franklin","year":"2018","journal-title":"Brain Behav. Immun."},{"key":"ref26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"343","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jad.2022.05.003","article-title":"Chemokine receptor 4 expression on blood T lymphocytes predicts severity of major depressive disorder","volume":"310","author":"Freff","year":"2022","journal-title":"J. Affect. Disord."},{"key":"ref27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"585","DOI":"10.1038\/nri3707","article-title":"The IL-23-IL-17 immune axis: from mechanisms to therapeutic testing","volume":"14","author":"Gaffen","year":"2014","journal-title":"Nat. Rev. Immunol."},{"key":"ref28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"66","DOI":"10.3390\/jpm11020066","article-title":"Inflammatory versus anti-inflammatory profiles in major depressive disorders-the role of IL-17, IL-21, IL-23, IL-35 and Foxp3","volume":"11","author":"Galecka","year":"2021","journal-title":"J. Pers. Med."},{"key":"ref29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1438","DOI":"10.1007\/s00134-011-2306-1","article-title":"Profound and persistent decrease of circulating dendritic cells is associated with ICU-acquired infection in patients with septic shock","volume":"37","author":"Grimaldi","year":"2011","journal-title":"Intensive Care Med."},{"key":"ref30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"669","DOI":"10.1016\/j.immuni.2016.08.015","article-title":"Unsupervised high-dimensional analysis aligns dendritic cells across tissues and species","volume":"45","author":"Guilliams","year":"2016","journal-title":"Immunity"},{"key":"ref31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"206","DOI":"10.1016\/j.bbi.2015.06.001","article-title":"Cumulative meta-analysis of interleukins 6 and 1beta, tumour necrosis factor alpha and C-reactive protein in patients with major depressive disorder","volume":"49","author":"Haapakoski","year":"2015","journal-title":"Brain Behav. Immun."},{"key":"ref32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"718","DOI":"10.1126\/science.abc6027","article-title":"Impaired type I interferon activity and inflammatory responses in severe COVID-19 patients","volume":"369","author":"Hadjadj","year":"2020","journal-title":"Science"},{"key":"ref33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"117","DOI":"10.1186\/s12974-019-1509-1","article-title":"The antidepressant effects of GM-CSF are mediated by the reduction of TLR4\/NF-kB-induced IDO expression","volume":"16","author":"Hemmati","year":"2019","journal-title":"J. Neuroinflammation"},{"key":"ref34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"304","DOI":"10.1139\/jpn.090088","article-title":"Osteoprotegerin levels in patients with severe mental disorders","volume":"35","author":"Hope","year":"2010","journal-title":"J. Psychiatry Neurosci."},{"key":"ref35","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"257","DOI":"10.1016\/j.bbi.2024.07.037","article-title":"Sex differences in the inflammation-depression link: a systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"121","author":"Jarkas","year":"2024","journal-title":"Brain Behav. Immun."},{"key":"ref36","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2217","DOI":"10.1017\/S0033291721000441","article-title":"The genetic basis of major depression","volume":"51","author":"Kendall","year":"2021","journal-title":"Psychol. Med."},{"key":"ref37","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"119","DOI":"10.1146\/annurev-publhealth-031912-114409","article-title":"The epidemiology of depression across cultures","volume":"34","author":"Kessler","year":"2013","journal-title":"Annu. Rev. Public Health"},{"key":"ref38","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"11","DOI":"10.1186\/s13041-020-00726-x","article-title":"Interleukin-17 induced by cumulative mild stress promoted depression-like behaviors in young adult mice","volume":"14","author":"Kim","year":"2021","journal-title":"Mol. Brain"},{"key":"ref39","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s00115-025-01886-8","article-title":"The SFB\/TRR 393 collaborative research Centre: trajectories of affective disorders: cognitive-emotional mechanisms of symptom change","author":"Kircher","year":"2025","journal-title":"Nervenarzt"},{"key":"ref40","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"626","DOI":"10.1038\/nri.2016.90","article-title":"Sex differences in immune responses","volume":"16","author":"Klein","year":"2016","journal-title":"Nat. Rev. Immunol."},{"key":"ref41","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"373","DOI":"10.1111\/acps.12698","article-title":"Peripheral cytokine and chemokine alterations in depression: a meta-analysis of 82 studies","volume":"135","author":"Kohler","year":"2017","journal-title":"Acta Psychiatr. Scand."},{"key":"ref42","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"894","DOI":"10.1038\/nature07455","article-title":"The molecular neurobiology of depression","volume":"455","author":"Krishnan","year":"2008","journal-title":"Nature"},{"key":"ref43","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"163","DOI":"10.1034\/j.1600-0447.2003.00204.x","article-title":"Gender differences in unipolar depression: an update of epidemiological findings and possible explanations","volume":"108","author":"Kuehner","year":"2003","journal-title":"Acta Psychiatr. Scand."},{"key":"ref44","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"5444","DOI":"10.4049\/jimmunol.1303400","article-title":"X-chromosome complement and estrogen receptor signaling independently contribute to the enhanced TLR7-mediated IFN-alpha production of plasmacytoid dendritic cells from women","volume":"193","author":"Laffont","year":"2014","journal-title":"J. Immunol."},{"key":"ref45","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"131","DOI":"10.1186\/s13075-023-03105-8","article-title":"Serum IL-23 significantly decreased in obese patients with psoriatic arthritis six months after a structured weight loss intervention","volume":"25","author":"Landgren","year":"2023","journal-title":"Arthritis Res. Ther."},{"key":"ref46","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"941","DOI":"10.3390\/cells10040941","article-title":"Dendritic cells: neglected modulators of peripheral immune responses and neuroinflammation in mood disorders?","volume":"10","author":"Leite Dantas","year":"2021","journal-title":"Cells"},{"key":"ref47","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3389","DOI":"10.1182\/blood-2010-05-282913","article-title":"Toll-like receptor control of glucocorticoid-induced apoptosis in human plasmacytoid predendritic cells (pDCs)","volume":"116","author":"Lepelletier","year":"2010","journal-title":"Blood"},{"key":"ref48","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"361","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jad.2014.12.033","article-title":"IL-23 and TGF-beta1 levels as potential predictive biomarkers in treatment of bipolar I disorder with acute manic episode","volume":"174","author":"Li","year":"2015","journal-title":"J. Affect. Disord."},{"key":"ref49","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"78","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cyto.2019.02.018","article-title":"IL-23 and dendritic cells: what are the roles of their mutual attachment in immune response and immunotherapy?","volume":"120","author":"Li","year":"2019","journal-title":"Cytokine"},{"key":"ref50","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1761","DOI":"10.1016\/j.immuni.2023.07.001","article-title":"Dendritic cell type 3 arises from Ly6C(+) monocyte-dendritic cell progenitors","volume":"56","author":"Liu","year":"2023","journal-title":"Immunity"},{"key":"ref51","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"106823","DOI":"10.1016\/j.biocel.2025.106823","article-title":"Sepsis impairs immunocompetent plasmacytoid dendritic cell reconstitution from hematopoietic stem\/progenitor cell through altered bone marrow environment","volume":"186","author":"Lu","year":"2025","journal-title":"Int. J. Biochem. Cell Biol."},{"key":"ref52","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"752","DOI":"10.1016\/j.immuni.2024.03.002","article-title":"DAMPs and DAMP-sensing receptors in inflammation and diseases","volume":"57","author":"Ma","year":"2024","journal-title":"Immunity"},{"key":"ref53","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"123","DOI":"10.1007\/s00005-016-0418-6","article-title":"Hormonal modulation of dendritic cells differentiation, maturation and function: implications for the initiation and progress of systemic autoimmunity","volume":"65","author":"Mackern-Oberti","year":"2017","journal-title":"Arch. Immunol. Ther. Exp."},{"key":"ref54","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"37","DOI":"10.1186\/s12863-021-00991-2","article-title":"The transcription factor reservoir and chromatin landscape in activated plasmacytoid dendritic cells","volume":"22","author":"Mann-Nuttel","year":"2021","journal-title":"BMC Genomic Data"},{"key":"ref55","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"48","DOI":"10.1097\/YCO.0000000000000221","article-title":"Cognition in major depressive disorder: a 'systemically important functional index' (SIFI)","volume":"29","author":"McIntyre","year":"2016","journal-title":"Curr. Opin. Psychiatry"},{"key":"ref56","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"762","DOI":"10.1038\/nri1457","article-title":"IDO expression by dendritic cells: tolerance and tryptophan catabolism","volume":"4","author":"Mellor","year":"2004","journal-title":"Nat. Rev. Immunol."},{"key":"ref57","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"642","DOI":"10.1016\/j.immuni.2014.04.016","article-title":"Development and function of dendritic cell subsets","volume":"40","author":"Mildner","year":"2014","journal-title":"Immunity"},{"key":"ref58","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"516","DOI":"10.1176\/appi.ajp.20250289","article-title":"Advancing an inflammatory subtype of major depression","volume":"182","author":"Miller","year":"2025","journal-title":"Am. J. Psychiatry"},{"key":"ref59","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"732","DOI":"10.1016\/j.biopsych.2008.11.029","article-title":"Inflammation and its discontents: the role of cytokines in the pathophysiology of major depression","volume":"65","author":"Miller","year":"2009","journal-title":"Biol. Psychiatry"},{"key":"ref60","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1653","DOI":"10.1007\/s00406-024-01864-2","article-title":"Activation of the interleukin-23\/Th17 axis in major depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"275","author":"Moulton","year":"2025","journal-title":"Eur. Arch. Psychiatry Clin. Neurosci."},{"key":"ref61","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"16065","DOI":"10.1038\/nrdp.2016.65","article-title":"Major depressive disorder","volume":"2","author":"Otte","year":"2016","journal-title":"Nat. Rev. Dis. Primers"},{"key":"ref62","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"eadx3698","DOI":"10.1126\/sciadv.adx3698","article-title":"DAMPs cross-talk interpretation of MDD mechanisms","volume":"11","author":"Peng","year":"2025","journal-title":"Sci. Adv."},{"key":"ref63","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"101166","DOI":"10.1016\/j.lanepe.2024.101166","article-title":"Immuno-metabolic depression: from concept to implementation","volume":"48","author":"Penninx","year":"2025","journal-title":"Lancet Reg. Health Eur."},{"key":"ref64","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3897","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.1114153109","article-title":"CC chemokine receptor 4 is required for experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis by regulating GM-CSF and IL-23 production in dendritic cells","volume":"109","author":"Poppensieker","year":"2012","journal-title":"Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA"},{"key":"ref65","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"225","DOI":"10.1016\/j.bbi.2008.09.010","article-title":"Repeated social defeat activates dendritic cells and enhances toll-like receptor dependent cytokine secretion","volume":"23","author":"Powell","year":"2009","journal-title":"Brain Behav. Immun."},{"key":"ref66","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"46","DOI":"10.1016\/j.bbi.2010.07.243","article-title":"Immunogenic dendritic cells primed by social defeat enhance adaptive immunity to influenza a virus","volume":"25","author":"Powell","year":"2011","journal-title":"Brain Behav. Immun."},{"key":"ref67","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"37","DOI":"10.1016\/j.immuni.2018.12.027","article-title":"Plasmacytoid dendritic cells: development, regulation, and function","volume":"50","author":"Reizis","year":"2019","journal-title":"Immunity"},{"key":"ref68","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"382","DOI":"10.1016\/j.bbi.2017.06.010","article-title":"Chemokine CCL17 is expressed by dendritic cells in the CNS during experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis and promotes pathogenesis of disease","volume":"66","author":"Ruland","year":"2017","journal-title":"Brain Behav. Immun."},{"key":"ref69","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2306","DOI":"10.3390\/ijms18112306","article-title":"The c-c chemokines CCL17 and CCL22 and their receptor CCR4 in CNS autoimmunity","volume":"18","author":"Scheu","year":"2017","journal-title":"Int. J. Mol. Sci."},{"key":"ref70","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"801","DOI":"10.1016\/S2215-0366(20)30099-7","article-title":"Review of dysthymia and persistent depressive disorder: history, correlates, and clinical implications","volume":"7","author":"Schramm","year":"2020","journal-title":"Lancet Psychiatry"},{"key":"ref71","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3","DOI":"10.1007\/978-1-4939-3606-9_1","article-title":"Review of mouse and human dendritic cell subsets","volume":"1423","author":"Segura","year":"2016","journal-title":"Methods Mol. Biol."},{"key":"ref72","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"105","DOI":"10.1016\/j.coi.2009.03.011","article-title":"Antigen presentation by dendritic cells in vivo","volume":"21","author":"Segura","year":"2009","journal-title":"Curr. Opin. Immunol."},{"key":"ref73","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"577951","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jneuroim.2022.577951","article-title":"The role of damage associated molecular pattern molecules (DAMPs) and permeability of the blood-brain barrier in depression and neuroinflammation","volume":"371","author":"Serna-Rodriguez","year":"2022","journal-title":"J. Neuroimmunol."},{"key":"ref74","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"222","DOI":"10.1191\/0961203303lu362xx","article-title":"Circulating human plasmacytoid dendritic cells are highly sensitive to corticosteroid administration","volume":"12","author":"Shodell","year":"2003","journal-title":"Lupus"},{"key":"ref75","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"446","DOI":"10.1067\/mai.2001.117928","article-title":"Corticosteroids depress IFN-alpha-producing plasmacytoid dendritic cells in human blood","volume":"108","author":"Shodell","year":"2001","journal-title":"J. Allergy Clin. Immunol."},{"key":"ref76","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1146\/annurev-immunol-100311-102839","article-title":"Decisions about dendritic cells: past, present, and future","volume":"30","author":"Steinman","year":"2012","journal-title":"Annu. Rev. Immunol."},{"key":"ref77","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"100942","DOI":"10.1016\/j.bbih.2024.100942","article-title":"Deep immunophenotyping of circulating immune cells in major depressive disorder patients reveals immune correlates of clinical course and treatment response","volume":"43","author":"Stolfi","year":"2025","journal-title":"Brain Behav. Immun."},{"key":"ref78","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"614","DOI":"10.1161\/CIRCGENETICS.109.870386","article-title":"Serotonin transporter gene, depressive symptoms, and interleukin-6","volume":"2","author":"Su","year":"2009","journal-title":"Circ. Cardiovasc. Genet."},{"key":"ref79","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"151","DOI":"10.1038\/ijo.2008.216","article-title":"Increased activity of interleukin-23\/interleukin-17 proinflammatory axis in obese women","volume":"33","author":"Sumarac-Dumanovic","year":"2009","journal-title":"Int. J. Obes."},{"key":"ref80","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"7768","DOI":"10.4049\/jimmunol.176.12.7768","article-title":"IL-23 is increased in dendritic cells in multiple sclerosis and down-regulation of IL-23 by antisense oligos increases dendritic cell IL-10 production","volume":"176","author":"Vaknin-Dembinsky","year":"2006","journal-title":"J. Immunol."},{"key":"ref81","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1232","DOI":"10.3389\/fimmu.2018.01232","article-title":"Glucocorticoid-induced leucine zipper: fine-tuning of dendritic cells function","volume":"9","author":"Vetillard","year":"2018","journal-title":"Front. Immunol."},{"key":"ref82","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"eaah4573","DOI":"10.1126\/science.aah4573","article-title":"Single-cell RNA-seq reveals new types of human blood dendritic cells, monocytes, and progenitors","volume":"356","author":"Villani","year":"2017","journal-title":"Science"},{"key":"ref83","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1428","DOI":"10.1038\/s41591-019-0566-4","article-title":"Stress-glucocorticoid-TSC22D3 axis compromises therapy-induced antitumor immunity","volume":"25","author":"Yang","year":"2019","journal-title":"Blood"}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fncel.2026.1753241\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,25]],"date-time":"2026-02-25T05:51:54Z","timestamp":1771998714000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fncel.2026.1753241\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,9]]},"references-count":83,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fncel.2026.1753241"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fncel.2026.1753241","relation":{},"ISSN":["1662-5102"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1662-5102","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,9]]},"article-number":"1753241"}}