Plasmacytoid dendritic cell depletion leads to an enhanced mononuclear phagocyte response in lungs of mice with lethal influenza virus infection

Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) have been implicated both in the control and pathogenesis of influenza virus infection. We demonstrate that pDC depletion has marked effects on the response of mononuclear phagocytes, including conventional DCs (cDCs) and macrophages, to lethal influenza virus infection. Infection of mice lacking pDCs through antibody-mediated depletion resulted in substantially increased accumulation of mononuclear phagocytes and their progenitors in lungs compared to non-treated controls. pDC ablation resulted in a 5- to 35-fold enhancement of intracellular TNF-α and IL-6 production from inflammatory cDCs and exudate macrophages. Purified pulmonary cDCs and macrophages cultured from pDC-depleted mice produced significantly elevated levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines compared to pDC-intact counterparts. Elimination of pDCs resulted in decreased lung IFN-α and an immediate and transient reduction in lung virus burden but did not impact disease outcome. These data reveal a suppressive effect of pDCs on the inflammatory response to influenza virus infection in the lung.