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Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 gp120 and other activation stimuli are highly effective in triggering alpha interferon and CC chemokine production in circulating plasmacytoid but not myeloid dendritic cells.

Del Cornò M, Gauzzi MC, Penna G, Belardelli F, Adorini L, Gessani S

Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Department of Cell Biology and Neurosciences, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy.

Exposure to aldrithiol-2-inactivated human immunodeficiency virus type 1 or gp120, but not gp41, triggered alpha interferon (IFN-alpha), CC chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2), CCL3, and CCL4 production in human plasmacytoid dendritic cells (DCs) but not in myeloid DCs (M-DCs) or monocyte-derived DCs from the same donors. The nonresponsiveness of M-DCs for IFN-alpha/beta production was a general feature specific to these cells, as they also failed to produce it in response to inactivated influenza virus, poly(I-C), lipopolysaccharide, Staphylococcus aureus Cowans I, or CD40L. The different capacities of circulating DC subsets to produce immune mediators in response to most stimuli argue for a different role for these cells in the regulation of innate immunity to pathogens.

Published 14 September 2005 in J Virol, 79(19): 12597-601.
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