Porcine circovirus type 2 DNA influences cytoskeleton rearrangements in plasmacytoid and monocyte-derived dendritic cells.

Functional disruption of dendritic cells (DC) is an important strategy for viral pathogens to evade host defences. In this context, porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2), a single-stranded DNA virus, impairs plasmacytoid DC (pDC) and conventional DC activation by certain viruses or Toll-like receptor (TLR) ligands. This inhibitory capacity is associated with the viral DNA, but the impairment does not affect all signalling cascades; TLR7 ligation by small chemical molecules will still induce interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumour necrosis factor-α secretion, but not interferon-α or IL-12. In this study, the molecular mechanisms by which silencing occurs were investigated. PP2, a potent inhibitor of the Lyn and Hck kinases, produced a similar profile to the PCV2 DNA interference with cytokine secretion by pDC, efficiently inhibiting cell activation induced through TLR9, but not TLR7, ligation. Confocal microscopy and cytometry analysis strongly suggested that PCV2 DNA impairs actin polymerization and endocytosis in pDC and monocyte-derived DC, respectively. Altogether, this study delineates for the first time particular molecular mechanisms involved in PCV2 interference with DC danger recognition, which may be responsible for the virus-induced immunosuppression observed in infected pigs.

Responsiveness of fibrocytes to toll-like receptor danger signals.

Circulating myeloid cells such as plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDC), blood DC and monocytes act as blood sentinels detecting invading pathogens through a large repertoire of expression of toll-like receptors (TLRs). Activation of these receptors is crucial to detect invading pathogens by the innate immune system. In the present work, we analysed the TLR responsiveness of fibrocytes, a blood-derived cell type of myeloid origin. Fibrocytes efficiently responded to TLR2, TLR4, and TLR7 ligands as well as to poly (I:C) or viral stimulation by producing high amount of interleukin-6. Upon virus infection of fibrocytes, IFN type I was also induced. When compared to pDC or Flt3 ligand-derived DC, fibrocytes produced 5 times and 60 times more IL-6, respectively. This response was associated with a rapid and efficient translocation of the NF-kappaB transcription factor. Analysis of the expression and functionality of TLR7 in peripheral blood leukocyte subpopulations suggested that this receptor is expressed and functional in a CD163(+) monocytic cell subpopulation containing the fibrocyte precursors. Considering the rapid entry of fibrocytes into wounds, this efficient responsiveness to TLR danger signals, reflects a potentially important role of these cells in the first line of defence against pathogen invasion following traumata.