Lymphoid dendritic cells with immunophenotype CD8α + can be produced by a method which comprises culturing human hematopoietic stem cells in a medium containing GM-CSF, followed by culturing in a medium containing IFN-Υ, the lymphoid dendritic cells being useful in various immunotherapies.
1. A method for differentiating a lymphoid dendritic cell of CD8α + immunophenotype from human CD34 + mononuclear cells separated from peripheral blood, which comprises the steps of culturing 1×10 5 /ml of the human CD34 + mononuclear cells in two steps, first in a first medium consisting of 5% human serum albumin, 100 U/ml of penicillin, 100 ug/ml of streptomycin, 100 U/ml of L-glutamine and 50 ng/ml of GM-CSF for one week and then in a second medium consisting of 5% human serum albumin, 100 U/ml of penicillin, 100 ug/ml of streptomycin, 100 U/ml of L-glutamine and 200 U/ml of IFN-γ for one week.
2. The method of claim 1 , which further comprises a step of adding 1 μg/ml of ionomycin to the second medium the day before the end of the second culture.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the immunophenotype of the lymphoid dendritic cell is CD1a − , CD3 − , CD4 − , CD8α + , CDllc + , CDI4 − , CD40 + , CD54 + , CD80 + , CD83 + , CD86 + , HLA-I + and HLA-II + .
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the lymphoid dendritic cell is capable of inducing the production of interleukin-12(IL-12) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ).