Type I interferons (IFNs) are cytokines exhibiting antiviral and antitumor effects, including multiple activities on immune cells. However, the importance of these cytokines in the early events leading to the generation of an immune response is still unclear. Here, we have investigated the effects of type I IFNs on freshly isolated granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF)–treated human monocytes in terms of dendritic cell (DC) differentiation and activity in vitro and in severe combined immunodeficiency mice reconstituted with human peripheral blood leukocytes (hu-PBL-SCID) mice. Type I IFNs induced a surprisingly rapid maturation of monocytes into short-lived tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL)–expressing DCs endowed with potent functional activities, superior with respect to the interleukin (IL)-4/GM-CSF treatment, as shown by FACS^® analyses, mixed leukocyte reaction assays with allogeneic PBLs, and lymphocyte proliferation responses to HIV-1–pulsed autologous DCs. Type I IFN induced IL-15 production and strongly promoted a T helper cell type 1 response. Notably, injection of IFN-treated HIV-1–pulsed DCs in SCID mice reconstituted with autologous PBLs resulted in the generation of a potent primary immune response, as evaluated by the detection of human antibodies to various HIV-1 antigens. These results provide a rationale for using type I IFNs as vaccine adjuvants and support the concept that a natural alliance between these cytokines and monocytes/DCs represents an important early mechanism for connecting innate and adaptive immunity.

The migration capability of dendritic cells (DCs) is regulated by their response to factors, namely chemokines, that characterize maturation stage and shape their functional activities. This study examines the morphology, expression of chemokines/chemokine receptors, and migration properties of DCs generated after treatment of monocytes with type I interferon (IFN) and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) (IFN-DCs). IFN-DCs showed phenotypical and morphologic features undetectable in DCs generated in the presence of interleukin 4 (IL-4) and GM-CSF, such as expression of CD83 and CD25 and the presence of CD44⁺, highly polarized, thin, and long dendrites. IFN-DCs markedly migrated in response to β-chemokines (especially MIP-1β) and expressed the Th-1 chemokine IP-10. Notably, IFN-DCs showed an up-regulation of CCR7 as well as of its natural ligand MIP-3β, characteristics typical of mature DCs. Of interest, IFN-DCs exhibited a marked chemotactic response to MIP-3β in vitro and strong migratory behavior in severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice. In SCID mice reconstituted with human peripheral blood leukocytes, IFN-DCs induced a potent primary human antibody response and IFN-γ production, indicative of a Th-1 immune response. These results define the highly specialized maturation state of IFN-DCs and point out the existence of a “natural alliance” between type I IFN and monocyte/DC development, instrumental for ensuring an efficient connection between innate and adaptive immunity.

In a previous study, we reported that a single injection of cyclophosphamide (CTX) in tumor-bearing mice resulted in tumor eradication when the animals were subsequently injected with tumor-sensitized lymphocytes. Notably, CTX acted by inducing bystander effects on T cells, and the response to the combined CTX/adoptive immunotherapy regimen was inhibited in mice treated with antibodies to mouse interferon (IFN)–/β. In the present study, we have investigated whether CTX induced the expression of type I IFN, and we have characterized the CTX effects on the phenotype of T cells in normal mice. CTX injection resulted in an accumulation of type I IFN messenger RNA in the spleen of inoculated mice, at 24 to 48 hours, that was associated with IFN detection in the majority of the animals. CTX also enhanced the expression of the Ly-6C on spleen lymphocytes. This enhancement was inhibited in mice treated with anti–type I IFN antibodies. Moreover, CTX induced a long-lasting increase in in vivo lymphocyte proliferation and in the percentage of CD44^hiCD4⁺ and CD44^hiCD8⁺T lymphocytes. These results demonstrate that CTX is an inducer of type I IFN in vivo and enhances the number of T cells exhibiting the CD44^hi memory phenotype. Since type I IFN has been recently recognized as the important cytokine for the in vivo expansion and long-term survival of memory T cells, we suggest that induction of this cytokine may explain at least part of the immunomodulatory effects observed after CTX treatment. Finally, these findings provide a new rationale for combined treatments with CTX and adoptive immunotherapy in cancer patients.

Cross-presentation allows antigen-presenting cells to present exogenous antigens to CD8⁺ T cells, playing an essential role in controlling infections and tumor development. IFN-α induces the rapid differentiation of human mono-cytes into dendritic cells, known as IFN-DCs, highly efficient in mediating cross-presentation, as well as the cross-priming of CD8⁺ T cells. Here, we have investigated the mechanisms underlying the cross-presentation ability of IFN-DCs by studying the intracellular sorting of soluble ovalbumin and nonstructural-3 protein of hepatitis C virus. Our results demonstrate that, independently from the route and mechanism of antigen entry, IFN-DCs are extraordinarily competent in preserving internalized proteins from early degradation and in routing antigens toward the MHC class-I processing pathway, allowing long-lasting, cross-priming capacity. In IFN-DCs, both early and recycling endosomes function as key compartments for the storage of both antigens and MHC-class I molecules and for proteasome- and transporter-associated with Ag processing–dependent auxiliary cross-presentation pathways. Because IFN-DCs closely resemble human DCs naturally occurring in vivo in response to infections and other danger signals, these findings may have important implications for the design of vaccination strategies in neoplastic or chronic infectious diseases.

Dendritic cells (DC) generated after a short‐term exposure of monocytes to IFN‐α and GM‐CSF (IFN‐DC) are highly effective in inducing cross‐priming of CD8⁺ T cells against viral antigens. We have investigated the mechanisms responsible for the special attitude of these DC and compared their activity with that of reference DC. Antigen uptake and endosomal processing capabilities were similar for IFN‐DC and IL‐4‐derived DC. Both DC types efficiently cross‐presented soluble HCV NS3 protein to the specific CD8⁺ T cell clone, even though IFN‐DC were superior in cross‐presenting low amounts of viral antigens. Moreover, when DC were pulsed with inactivated HIV‐1 and injected into hu‐PBL‐SCID mice, the generation of virus‐specific CD8⁺ T cells was markedly higher in animals immunized with IFN‐DC than in mice immunized with CD40L‐matured IL‐4‐DC. Of interest, in experiments with purified CD8⁺ T cells, IFN‐DC were superior with respect to CD40L‐matured IL‐4‐DC in inducing in vitro cross‐priming of HIV‐specific CD8⁺ T cells. This property correlated with enhanced potential to express the specific subunits of the IL‐23 and IL‐27 cytokines. These results suggest that IFN‐DC are directly licensed for an efficient CD8⁺ T cell priming by mechanisms likely involving enhanced antigen presentation and special attitude to produce IL‐12 family cytokines.

A major challenge of AIDS research is the development of therapeutic vaccine strategies capable of inducing the humoral and cellular arms of the immune responses against HIV-1. In this work, we evaluated the capability of DCs pulsed with aldrithiol-2–inactivated HIV-1 in inducing a protective antiviral human immune response in SCID mice reconstituted with human PBL (hu-PBL-SCID mice). Immunization of hu-PBL-SCID mice with DCs generated after exposure of monocytes to GM-CSF/IFN-α (IFN-DCs) and pulsed with inactivated HIV-1 resulted in a marked induction of human anti–HIV-1 antibodies, which was associated with the detection of anti-HIV neutralizing activity in the serum. This vaccination schedule also promoted the generation of a human CD8⁺ T cell response against HIV-1, as measured by IFN-γ Elispot analysis. Notably, when the hu-PBL-SCID mice immunized with antigen-pulsed IFN-DCs were infected with HIV-1, inhibition of virus infection was observed as compared with control animals. These results suggest that IFN-DCs pulsed with inactivated HIV-1 can represent a valuable approach of immune intervention in HIV-1–infected patients.