The plasticity of dendritic cell responses to pathogens and their components

Dendritic cells are involved in the initiation of both innate and adaptive immunity. To systematically explore how dendritic cells modulate the immune system in response to different pathogens, we used oligonucleotide microar rays to measure gene expression profiles of dendritic cells in response to Escherichia coli, Candida albicans, and influenza virus as well as to their molecular components. Both a shared core response and pathogen-specific pr ograms of gene expression were observed upon exposure to each of these path ogens. These results reveal that dendritic cells sense diverse pathogens an d elicit tailored pathogen-specific immune responses.