Activated but immature phenotype of lymph node-homed pDC from HIV-1 positive versus negative individuals.

<p>Panel A: identification of pDC populations in LNMC of a representative control (top panel) and HIV-1 positive (bottom panel) individual. LNMC were stained with anti-BDCA2 and anti-CD123 antibodies; analyses were carried out by gating on the live cell population as determined by forward and side scatter light profiles. Panels B, D, F and H: flow cytometry plots showing expression levels of activation (CD40 and BDCA2) and maturation (CD83 and CD86) markers on lymph node-homed pDC from a representative HIV-1 patient and control individual. Histogram plots were obtained by gating onto the live cell population as assessed by forward and side light scatter profile (not shown), and then onto the pDC population as identified by staining with anti-BDCA2 and anti-CD123 antibodies (as shown in density plots). Gray area: healthy control; black line: HIV-1 patient. Panels C, E, G, and I: expression levels of CD40, BDCA2, CD83 and CD86 on lymph node-homed pDC of control individuals (black bars; <i>n</i> = 11) and HIV-1 patients (white bars; <i>n</i> = 18). We assessed the Geometric Mean Fluorescence Intensity (GMFI) values for each marker (<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0011110#s2" target="_blank">Materials and Methods</a>). Panels show the Mean and SEM of the GMFI values determined with cells from all individuals in the two study groups.