Fig. 1.

mDCs and pDCs upregulate CD80 and secrete high levels of subset-specific cytokines IL-12p70 and IFN-α, respectively, upon pR treatment. Purified mDCs and pDCs were stimulated overnight with medium alone/IL-3, or pR complexes in the presence or absence of an IFN blocking cocktail or recombinant cytokines. Average expression levels of the CD80 maturation marker ± SEM were measured on a mDCs and b pDCs from five donors. Cytokine release into supernatant was analyzed with ELISA. Average secreted levels of c IL-12p70 ± SEM from seven pR-activated mDC donors in the presence or absence of increasing levels (1; 10; and 100 ng/ml) of rIFN-α and d IFN-α ± SEM from nine pR-activated pDC donors in the presence or absence of increasing levels (0.2 and 2 ng/ml) of rIL-12p70. e Average MFI expression levels of CD80 ± SEM from seven mDC donors in the presence or absence of increasing levels (1; 10; and 100 ng/ml) of rIFN-α. f Average MFI expression levels of CD80 ± SEM from six pDC donors in the presence or absence of increasing levels (0.2 and 2 ng/ml) of rIL-12p70. Statistical differences compared to untreated controls were analyzed by paired one-way ANOVA with Bonferroni’s multiple comparison test and significance is indicated by *(p < 0.05), **(p < 0.01), ***(p < 0.001), or ns (non-significant)