Antigen crosspresentation by human plasmacytoid dendritic cells

Abstract

Crosspresentation is a specialized function of myeloid dendritic cells (mDCs), allowing them to induce CD8+ T cell responses against exogenous antigens that are not directly produced in their cytotosol. Human plasmacytoid DCs (pDCs) are not considered so far as able to perform crosspresentation. We showed here that purified human pDCs crosspresented vaccinal lipopeptides and HIV-1 antigens from apoptotic cells to specific CD8+ T lymphocytes. Apoptotic debris were internalized by phagocytosis and the lipopeptide LPPol reached nonacidic endosomes. This crosspresentation was amplified upon influenza virus infection. Importantly, the efficiency of crosspresentation by pDCs was comparable to that of mDCs. This property of human pDCs needs to be taken into account to understand the pathogenesis of infectious, allergic, or autimmune diseases and to help achieve desired responses during vaccination by targeting specifically either type of DCs.