title: Effects of immunomodulatory cytokines on the presentation of tumor-associated antigens by epidermal Langerhans cells.
abstract: The recognition and presentation of tumor-associated antigens by cutaneous antigen-presenting cells (APC) may play an important role in the establishment of effective defense mechanisms against newly emerging tumors in the skin. Recent data demonstrate the ability of I-A+ epidermal cells (Langerhans cells) to present tumor-associated antigens for the induction of protective tumor immunity and elicitation of delayed-type hypersensitivity against the murine spindle cell tumor, S1509a. Furthermore, the local cytokine microenvironment in the vicinity of a cutaneous neoplasm may regulate the ability of resident epidermal APC to initiate and/or to elicit protective immunity against incipient cutaneous neoplasms. This article summarizes the effects of granulocyte-macrophage/colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF alpha), transforming growth factor-beta (TGF beta), and interferon-gamma (IFN gamma) on the modulation of antigen presentation by epidermal APC. Our data indicate that these cytokines significantly and differentially modify the ability of epidermal cells to present tumor-associated antigens and that their effects differ with regard to induction of primary immunity (sensitization) or elicitation of secondary immune responses.
authors.affiliation: Cutaneous Biology Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Grabbe
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bruvers
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Granstein
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000187:drug effects*; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000276:immunology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007801:Langerhans Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D016207:Cytokines