A imunoterapia baseada em MoDC constitui uma estratégia para tratamento de indivíduos HIV+. Protocolos para obtenção de MoDC em geral utilizam IL-4 e GM-CSF (IL4-DC). Alguns estudos utilizam as IFN-DC (IFN-α + GM-CSF), que exibem um fenótipo combinado de DC mielóide, DC plasmocitóide (pDC) e célula NK. Esse perfil misto pode aperfeiçoar a imunoterapia para pacientes HIV+. Para tanto, monócitos de pacientes HIV+ foram cultivados com GM-CSF e IL-4 ou IFN-α por 5 dias e estimuladas por 48 horas com pulso de HIV inativado por AT-2 e/ou coquetel de citocinas pró-inflamatórias. Avaliamos a expressão de moléculas de superfície de IFN-DC e ativação de linfócitos T por citometria de fluxo; produção de citocinas IL-12 e IL-10 por ELISA. IFN-DC apresentaram morfologia e fenótipo basais ativados e características de pDC e célula NK, diferente das IL4-DC. As IFN-DC foram capazes de produzir IL-12, estimular a proliferação e produção de IFN-γ de linfócitos TCD4 e CD8, porém similares às IL4-DCs. IFN-DC são capazes de estimular resposta de linfócitos T tanto quanto IL4-DC.

Immunotherapy based on MDDCs is a strategy for treating HIV-infected patients. Alternatively to the conventional protocol for DC differentiation based on IL-4 and GM-CSF (IL4-DC) some studies suggest the use of IFN-DC (IFN-α + GM-CSF). These cells exhibit a combined phenotype of myeloid DC, plasmacytoid DC (pDC) and NK. Considering the mixed profile of IFN-DCs alternative protocols can bring novel elements for immunotherapy. Monocytes isolated from HIV-infected patients were cultured in the presence of GM-CSF and IL-4 or IFN-α. On day 5 DCs were pulsed with AT-2-inactivated HIV and stimulated for 48 hours with a cocktail of proinflammatory cytokines. We assessed IFN-DC surface markers expression and T cell activation by flow cytometry; IL-10 and IL-12 production by ELISA. IFN-DC showed activated morphological and phenotypic features during basal state of maturity and exhibited features of pDC and NK different from IL4-DC. The IFN-DC like IL4-DC were able to produce IL-12 and stimulated T cells. So, the IFN-DC were able to stimulate the T cells as well as IL4-DCs.