Early Increase of CD11c in Human Monocyte-Derived Dendritic Cells in the Presence of A/California/07/2009 (H1N1pdm)

Influenza A continues to cause significant morbidity and mortality. Vaccine production time, viral antigenic variability and low vaccine efficacy contribute to the annual pandemics and seasonal epidemics. A better understanding of human immune responses to influenza A could result in more effective vaccines. Dendritic cells (DCs) play an important role in the initiation of immune responses. Populations of B lymphocytes secrete protective antibodies but the role of different populations of B cells in the protective response is unknown. In this thesis we developed assays to determine subclasses of influenza specific antibodies. Mononuclear cells were assessed using flow cytometry to identify monocytes and marginal zone B lymphocytes. Monocyte-derived dendritic cells (MdDCs) were infected with influenza virus A/California/07/2009 (H1N1pdm) and activation markers were detected by using flow cytometry. Virus infected MdDcs exhibited enhanced expression of CD11c compared to MdDCs exposed to inactivated virus. We hypothesize that the early expression of CD11c activation marker is an important event in the early immune response against influenza virus. Expression of CD11c may help in the rapid activation of influenza-specific T cells leading to an early and robust immune response