Dendritic cells as vectors for vaccination against infectious diseases.

Antigen presentation by dendritic cells (DCs) is critical for the induction of a specific immune response. The immunotherapeutic potential of antigen-pulsed DCs for the treatment of cancer has been confirmed in a number of experimental tumor models and in several preclinical trials. Recent advances in our understanding of the interaction of microbial pathogens with DCs have provided the basis to explore DCs as vaccine carriers for the induction of protective immune responses to infections. Support for this strategy comes from animal studies demonstrating that DCs, after ex vivo loading with microbial antigens, confer protection against microbial challenges in vivo. This may have important implications for the development of novel strategies for prophylactic or therapeutic immunizations against various microbial pathogens.