The CD16+ Monocyte subset gives rise to an altered Dendritic Cell population in TuberculosisThe CD16+ Monocyte subset gives rise to an altered Dendritic Cell population in Tuberculosis

BALBOA L; ROMERO M; MUSELLA R; CASTAGNINO J; ABBATE E; SASIAIN MC; ALEMÁN M

Congreso; 1er Congreso Franco Argentino de Inmunología; 2010

Human blood monocytes (Mo) are a generalized source for in vitro generation of dendritic cells (DC), the most powerful antigen-presenting cells of the immune system. Mo can be classified into at least two subpopulations with distinct phenotypical and functional characteristics: classical CD16– and nonclassical CD16+. Previously, we have demonstrated that Mo derived from patients with tuberculosis (TB) showed an enrichment of the circulating CD16+ subset and an altered differentiation into DC characterized by the generation of CD1alowCD14+DC-SIGNlowCD86high cells which induced low specific T cell proliferation in response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Therefore, we wondered if this enlarged CD16+ Mo subset could be responsible for the altered differentiation into DC already described in TB patients. We found a positive correlation between the initial percentages of CD16+ Mo and the percentage of the altered DC population DC-SIGNlowCD86high (p