Analysis of TLR-Induced Metabolic Changes in Dendritic Cells Using the Seahorse XF(e)96 Extracellular Flux Analyzer.

Engagement of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) on dendritic cells (DCs) triggers the expression of a large set of genes involved in DC activation and maturation, which allow them to act efficiently as antigen-presenting cells. Recently, it has become clear that TLR signalling in DCs also results in dramatic metabolic changes that are integral to their changed biology. Here, we describe a detailed protocol on how DC metabolism can be studied after TLR stimulation using the 96-well format Extracellular Flux (XF(e)96) Analyzer from Seahorse Bioscience, a machine that allows one to simultaneously assess rates of oxidative phosphorylation and glycolysis in real-time, in live cells and in a high-throughput manner.