IFNA2 and infection: In the light of all this, it is possible that the transient up-regulation of costimulatory molecules and HLA-DR in CD16+ monocytes, occurring at the time of the appearance of a PBMC IFNα molecular signature, characterized by enhanced expression of immune-related cytokines/chemokines, can represent a reliable marker of the biologic response to a local IFNα treatment, which may result in the generation of active DC, resembling those naturally generated from this monocyte subset in response to infections and danger signals.