Influenza virus and poly(I:C) inhibit MHC class I-restricted presentation of cell-associated antigens derived from infected dead cells captured by human dendritic cells.

During viral infection, dendritic cells (DCs) capture infected cells and present viral Ags to CD8(+) T cells. However, activated DCs might potentially present cell-associated Ags derived from captured dead cells. In this study, we find that human DCs that captured dead cells containing the TLR3 agonist poly(I:C) produced cytokines and underwent maturation, but failed to elicit autologous CD8(+) T cell responses against Ags of dead cells. Accordingly, DCs that captured dead cells containing poly(I:C), or influenza virus, are unable to activate CD8(+) T cell clones specific to cell-associated Ags of captured dead cells. CD4(+) T cells are expanded with DCs that have captured poly(I:C)-containing dead cells, indicating the inhibition is specific for MHC class I-restricted cross-presentation. Furthermore, these DCs can expand naive allogeneic CD8(+) T cells. Finally, soluble or targeted Ag is presented when coloaded onto DCs that have captured poly(I:C)-containing dead cells, indicating the inhibition is specific for dead cell cargo that is accompanied by viral or poly(I:C) stimulus. Thus, DCs have a mechanism that prevents MHC class I-restricted cross-presentation of cell-associated Ag when they have captured dead infected cells.