Vaccinia virus infection induces dendritic cell maturation but inhibits antigen presentation by MHC class II.
Vaccinia virus (VV) infection is known to inhibit dendritic cells (DC) functions in vitro. Paradoxically, VV is also highly immunogenic and thus has been used as a vaccine. In the present study, we investigated the effects of an in vivo VV infection on DC function by focusing on early innate immunity. Our data indicated that DC are activated upon in vivo VV infection of mice. Splenic DC from VV-infected mice expressed elevated levels of MHC class I and co-stimulatory molecules on their cell surface and exhibited the enhanced potential to produce cytokines upon LPS stimulation. DC from VV-infected mice also expressed a high level of interferon-beta. However, a VV infection resulted in the down-regulation of MHC class II expression and the impairment of antigen presentation to CD4 T cells by DC. Thus, during the early stage of a VV infection, although DC are impaired in some of the critical antigen presentation functions, they can promote innate immune defenses against viral infection.
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA.
Yongxue
Y
Yao
Ping
P
Li
Pratibha
P
Singh
Allison T
AT
Thiele
David S
DS
Wilkes
Gourapura J
GJ
Renukaradhya
Randy R
RR
Brutkiewicz
Jeffrey B
JB
Travers
Gary D
GD
Luker
Soon-Cheol
SC
Hong
Janice S
JS
Blum
Cheong-Hee
CH
Chang
D000818:Animals; D017951:Antigen Presentation; D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000276:immunology*; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010641:Phenotype; D014615:Vaccinia / Q000276:immunology*; D014616:Vaccinia virus; D014779:Virus Replication
D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D007370:Interferon Type I