Cultured epidermal Langerhans cells activate effector T cells for contact sensitivity.
To investigate whether Langerhans cells are capable of inducing contact sensitivity effector T cells, we incubated purified T cells from naive mice with syngeneic cultured trinitrophenyl-modified Langerhans cells for 4-5 d. The cells were then expanded in interleukin-2 and fresh medium for another 6-9 d and injected intravenously into naive syngeneic recipient mice. After the ears of recipient mice were painted with 1% trinitrochlorobenzene, we observed an ear-swelling response peaking at 24-48 h. The ear-swelling response was hapten specific. CD8- but not CD4-depleted T cells mediated strong contact sensitivity. Systemic adoptive transfer into nude mice also lead to a hapten-specific delayed ear-swelling response. However, this response was less protracted than in euthymic animals, suggesting the participation of the recipient (non-immunized) T cells in the ear-swelling response of the euthymic mice. Lymphokine analysis of in vitro primed and restimulated T cells revealed predominant production of interleukin-2 but little or no interleukin-4. These in vitro primed cells therefore resemble type 1 or inflammatory T helper cell clones.
Hauser
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Department of Dermatology, Hôpital Cantonal Universitaire, Geneva, Switzerland.
D000818:Animals; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000032:analysis; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D016219:Immunotherapy, Adoptive; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007700:Kinetics; D007801:Langerhans Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D013997:Time Factors
D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D007376:Interleukin-2; D015847:Interleukin-4