The nature of the principal type 1 interferon-producing cells in human blood.
Interferons (IFNs) are the most important cytokines in antiviral immune responses. "Natural IFN-producing cells" (IPCs) in human blood express CD4 and major histocompatibility complex class II proteins, but have not been isolated and further characterized because of their rarity, rapid apoptosis, and lack of lineage markers. Purified IPCs are here shown to be the CD4(+)CD11c- type 2 dendritic cell precursors (pDC2s), which produce 200 to 1000 times more IFN than other blood cells after microbial challenge. pDC2s are thus an effector cell type of the immune system, critical for antiviral and antitumor immune responses.
Siegal
F P
FP
Saint Vincents Hospital and Medical Center, New York, NY 10011, USA.
Kadowaki
N
N
Shodell
M
M
Fitzgerald-Bocarsly
P A
PA
Shah
K
K
Ho
S
S
Antonenko
S
S
Liu
Y J
YJ
D023201:CD40 Ligand; D019070:Cell Lineage; D002469:Cell Separation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D007377:Interleukin-3 / Q000494:pharmacology; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D015388:Organelles / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000276:immunology; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology
D007370:Interferon Type I; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D007377:Interleukin-3; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D023201:CD40 Ligand; D016899:Interferon-beta