Human natural interferon-α producing cells

Natural Interferon α/β–Producing Cells Link Innate and Adaptive Immunity

Innate immune responses to pathogens critically impact the development of adaptive immune responses. However, it is not completely understood how innate immunity controls the initiation of adaptive immunities or how it determines which type of adaptive immunity will be induced to eliminate a given pathogen. Here we show that viral stimulation not only triggers natural interferon (IFN)-alpha/bet...

Generation of Interferon α–Producing Predendritic Cell (Pre-Dc)2 from Human Cd34+ Hematopoietic Stem Cells

Upon viral stimulation, the natural interferon (IFN)-alpha/beta-producing cells (IPCs; also known as pre-dendritic cells (DCs 2) in human blood and peripheral lymphoid tissues rapidly produce huge amounts of IFN-alpha/beta. After performing this innate antiviral immune response, IPCs can differentiate into DCs and strongly stimulate T cell-mediated adaptive immune responses. Using four-color im...

A Pivotal Role for the Natural Interferon α–producing Cells (Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells) in the Pathogenesis of Lupus

The human type I IFN gene family consists of 13 genes encoding IFN-␣ subtypes and one gene each for IFN-␤ and-␻. The type I IFN proteins show similarities with respect to both structure and function; for instance, they are typically produced by cells exposed to virus and interact with the same receptor, the IFNAR (1). The type I IFNs have well established direct antiviral and antiproliferative ...

Neutrophils and interferon-α-producing cells: who produces interferon in lupus?

Interferon-α plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus. Nevertheless, the different human cell types producing this cytokine as well as the stimuli inducing its production have not been completely characterized. So far, a subpopulation of dendritic cells activated by immune complexes has been identified as major producers of interferon-α in patients with lupus. Ho...

Paradoxical inhibition of Human Natural Interferon-Producing Cells by the activating receptor NKp44