| abstract |
Monocytopoiesis is a hematological process that provides the periphery with monocytes and then with macrophages and dendritic cells derived from monocytes. Typically, monocytes circulate in the bloodstream for a very short time before undergoing apoptosis, however, stimulatory signals can trigger monocyte survival by inhibiting the apoptotic pathway, and thus contribute to the maintenance of the inflammatory response. Accordingly, there is a need for methods and pharmaceutical compositions for modulating monocytopoiesis. However, the inventors show that the signaling of type I interferons promotes the differentiation of phagocytes derived from monocytes at their progenitors. Importantly, IFN-alpha and beta have been discovered to efficiently generate monocyte-derived antigen presenting cells while not having an impact on the precursor activity of conventional dendritic cells. Accordingly, modulators of type I interferon (e.g., neutralizing antibodies or type I IFN polypeptides) would be suitable for modulating monocytopoiesis in subjects in need. |