The plasmacytoid monocyte/interferon producing cells

Trafficking properties of plasmacytoid dendritic cells in health and disease

“…The DCs features of PDCs in vitro are not demonstrated easily on tissue PDCs [1], possibly results from loss of specific PDCs markers (e.g. BDCA-2/CD303) upon activation and differentiation, or the lack of a complete maturation state by tissue PDCs.…”

“…It was subsequently renamed ''T-associated plasma cell'' due to the abundance of rough endoplasmic reticulum, ''plasmacytoid T cell'' by reason of CD4 expression, and ''plasmacytoid monocyte'' for the expression of some myelo-monocytic markers in the absence of B-and T-cell specific antigens [1]. The function of PDCs remained completely unknown until it was reported that PDCs represent a subset of dendritic cells (DCs) [2], and that they correspond to the natural type I interferon (IFN)-producing cells [3,4].…”

“…Interestingly, it has been shown that PDCs can induce apoptosis of tumour and virus-infected cell lines, either directly by secreting TRAIL (TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand) upon activation, or indirectly via the effect of type I IFN on other cytotoxic cells [24,25]. PDCs contain abundant granzyme B, but the role of this enzyme as a cytotoxic molecule remains elusive, because PDCs, in contrast to other cytotoxic cells, lack the pore-forming perforin [1,26].…”

“…lupus erythematosus disease, psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis) [1,51,52], allergic diseases (i.e. contact dermatitis and nasal mucosa polyps) [53] and in tumors [2,54] (Table 1).…”

“…Accumulation of PDCs in human diseases: recent advances Similar to other human leukocytes, PDCs can undergo neoplastic transformation (Box 2) and accumulate during some inflammatory pathological conditions [1,27]. Pathologists can easily detect human PDCs on archival tissues using anti-CD303 as a marker and can screen for their ; therefore, these molecules may account for the homeostatic recruitment of circulating PDCs to lymph nodes.…”