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Dendritic cells (DC) are considered the most important antigen presenting cells of the immune system. Its anatomical location (skin, mucosa and peripheral blood), the expression of receptors to recognize pathogens, the expression of co-stimulatory molecules (CD80/86), the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I and II, and the production of cytokines (such as IFN-α, IL-10, IL-12) confers to these cells the characteristic to regulate innate and adaptive immune responses. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of the porcine reproductive and respiratory virus (PRRS) in mature DC. DC were generated from blood monocytes using IL-4 and GM-CSF and were stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to induce their maturation. The results show that the expression of CD14 and CD172a molecules in infected DC was not affected, while MHC II and CD80/86 expression was diminished. This decrease seems to affect the allogenic proliferation of lymphocytes stimulated with infected DC. On the other hand, the virus increases mRNA expression of IL-10 and TNF-α, and diminishes that for IL-1β and IL-6. The results obtained could explain, in part, the immunophatology of the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]