The dendritic cells comprise several subsets that induce and regulate the immune responses against foreign and self-antigens, and that can therefore function as initiators of protective immunity and inducers of central or peripheral tolerance. The different subpopulations of dendritic cells interact with and also influence other cell populations of the immune system, such as T and B lymphocytes and natural killer cells. The factors that determine the given dendritic cell functions depend on the state of maturation and the local microenvironment. The interactions between dendritic cells and microorganisms are rather complex, but progress in the past few years has shed light on several aspects of these interactions. This review lays emphasis on the interactions between human dendritic cells, important components of the intima of arterial specimens at areas predisposed to atherosclerotic lesions, and Chlamydia pneumoniae and cytomegalovirus, the human pathogens most strongly implicated in the development of atherosclerosis. In addition, several examples of the potential clinical applications of dendritic cells are described.
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机译：树突状细胞由几个亚群组成，这些亚群诱导和调节针对外来和自身抗原的免疫反应，因此可以作为保护性免疫的起始剂和中枢或外周耐受的诱导剂。树突状细胞的不同亚群与免疫系统的其他细胞群相互作用并影响免疫系统的其他细胞群，例如 T 和 B 淋巴细胞以及自然杀伤细胞。决定给定树突状细胞功能的因素取决于成熟状态和局部微环境。树突状细胞和微生物之间的相互作用相当复杂，但过去几年的进展已经阐明了这些相互作用的几个方面。本文重点介绍了人树突状细胞（动脉标本易患动脉粥样硬化部位内膜的重要成分）与肺炎衣原体和巨细胞病毒（与动脉粥样硬化发展最密切相关的人类病原体）之间的相互作用。此外，还描述了树突状细胞潜在临床应用的几个例子。
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