Response to comment on "activation of β-catenin in dendritic cells regulates immunity versus tolerance in the intestine"

Abstract

Murphy argues that deletion of β-catenin in macrophages is a caveat to our interpretation that Wnt signaling programs dendritic cells (DCs) into a tolerogenic state in the gut. However, our data demonstrate that β-catenin-deficient DCs are greatly impaired in inducing regulatory T cells, and induce enhanced T helper 17 (T H17)/T H1 responses. Assessing the relative importance of DCs versus macrophages in intestinal tolerance must await tools that permit the genetic deletion of the numerous DC and macrophage subsets in the intestine.