Aims: A therapeutic vaccine based on monocyte-derived dendritic cells (MDDCs) has been shown to represent a promising strategy for the treatment of cancer and viral infections. Here, we characterized the MDDCs used as an immunogen in a clinical trial for an anti-HIV-1 therapeutic vaccine. Patients & methods: Monocytes obtained from 17 HIV-infected individuals were differentiated into MDDCs and, after loading with autologous HIV, the cells were characterized concerning surface molecule expression, migratory and phagocytosis capacity, cytokine production and the induction of an effective cell-mediated immune response. Results: The MDDCs were able to induce antigen-specific responses in autologous CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes. Conclusions: Despite a large interindividual variability, the results suggested that MDDCs present the potential to promote immune responses in vaccinated patients.Keywords: HIV/AIDS; dendritic cells; immunotherapy.