
An Indian-origin researcher at New York University says that she has gained fresh insights into the role of human immune cells known as plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) in the anti-HIV immune response.
Nina Bhardwaj says that pDCs become activated when they interact with HIV, secreting large amounts of the soluble factor IFN-alpha, which is a key component of the anti-HIV immune response.
However, in vitro studies have shown that HIV-1-stimulated human pDCs induced uncommitted CD4+ T cells to become Tregs, which are T cells that suppress immune responses.
Based on their observations, the researchers came to the conclusion that pDCs have two distinct roles in the anti-HIV immune response: they potentiate the anti-HIV immune response via the production of IFN-alpha and are likely to limit excessive immune activation, which can be harmful, via the induction of Tregs.
Source: ANI
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