Virus infection of dendritic cells results in immune suppression

Viruses, including measles and LCMV, have evolved strategies to evade host immune responses by infecting dendritic cells within the bone marrow, resulting in increased local production of type I IFN. Signaling through STAT2, but not STAT1, virus-induced type I IFN inhibits the development of precursor DC (pDC) into DC. The significant reduction in DC frequency and number that occurs dramatically impacts T cell development and hinders the adaptive immune responses to viral infection.