Abstract
Introduction: Dendritic cells (DCs) consider as greatest significance cells of innate and adaptive immune system because they connect both types. These cells are necessary for controlling immunity and tolerance balance. Objective: Effect of cigarette smoking on immunological properties of DCs and their subtypes plasmacytoid DCs and myeloid dendritic cells. Methods: The study included 27 smokers (female and male) and 18 nonsmoker controls. Isolating peripheral blood mononuclear cells, later, counted the total white blood cells (WBCs/mm(3)) by hemocytometer. DCs population, maturation marker CD83, and intracellular cytokines (IL-12, IFN-alpha) were detected using multiparametric flow cytometry analysis. Results: Increasing absolute number of pDCs was noted among smokers in general and among male smokers specifically. Therefore, mDCs/pDCs ratio was decreased in same populations. A comparison of male and female smokers reported that, increasing in the absolute number of pDCs in males. No detectable changes recorded for the expression of CD83 or the intracellular cytokines. Conclusions: Our results support that smoking alters the ratio for mDCs/pDCs and could lead to the suppression of the immune system through increasing tolerance response, thus increasing the risk of cancer and infections in smokers.