title: Expression of monoclonal antibody HECA-452-defined E-selectin ligands on Langerhans cells in normal and diseased skin.
abstract: The cutaneous lymphocyte-associated antigen recognized by the monoclonal antibody HECA-452 has been thought to play a major role in the homing of memory T-cell subsets to the skin by virtue of its ability to bind to E-selectin of dermal microvascular endothelial cells. Considering that the homing of different leukocyte populations to the skin may involve similar mechanisms, we studied the expression of HECA-452-reactive molecules on CD1a+ epidermal Langerhans cells. Immunofluorescence double-labeling of cryostat sections and epidermal sheets of normal skin revealed HECA-452 immunoreactivity on a subpopulation of dermal and epidermal CD1a+ cells, whereas upon flow-cytometric analysis of epidermal single cell suspensions virtually all CD1a+ cells bound HECA-452 antibodies. We observed a marked upregulation of HECA-452-antigen expression on CD1a+ epidermal cells and a pronounced increase in the number of HECA-452+/CD1a+ dermal cells in lesional skin from inflammatory and neoplastic lymphocytic skin diseases, compared to normal skin. The molecule detected by the HECA-452 antibody on Langerhans cells is neuraminidase sensitive and contains a CD15 (LewisX) carbohydrate backbone. Because Langerhans cells react with the sialyl-LewisX-specific antibody CSLEX1, it is very likely that the HECA-452-reactive structure is or contains sialyl-LewisX. Our data are compatible with the view that i) resident epidermal Langerhans cells upregulate HECA-452-antigen expression due to the cytokine profile generated in the disease process or ii) that Langerhans cell precursors express HECA-452-antigens and show an enhanced immigration into lesional skin. The characterization of HECA-452+ cells in peripheral blood may not only clarify this issue but may also help to identify the still elusive Langerhans cell-precursor.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Vienna Medical School, Austria.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Koszik
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Strunk
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Simonitsch
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Picker
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Stingl
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Payer
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000502:physiology*; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000276:immunology; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic / Q000276:immunology; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000276:immunology*; D003429:Cross Reactions; D019040:E-Selectin; D000939:Epitopes / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007801:Langerhans Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D016256:Lewis X Antigen; D008024:Ligands; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000276:immunology; D016201:Receptors, Lymphocyte Homing / Q000276:immunology; D012867:Skin / Q000166:cytology*; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015703:Antigens, CD; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D019040:E-Selectin; D000939:Epitopes; D016256:Lewis X Antigen; D008024:Ligands; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D016201:Receptors, Lymphocyte Homing