Murine dendritic epidermal T cells (DETC) express the homophilic adhesion molecule E-cadherin.
Cadherins mediate homotypic intercellular adhesion in epidermis and other epithelia. E-cadherin is also involved in interactions between murine epidermal Langerhans cells (LC) and keratinocytes (KC). Dendritic epidermal T cells (DETC) comprise another subpopulation of epidermal leukocytes. Using flow cytometry, we determined that DETC expressed levels of E-cadherin similar to those expressed by LC and KC. DETC also adhered congruent to three-fold better to KC and E-cadherin-transfected fibroblasts than to normal fibroblasts. Treatment of DETC with trypsin in the absence of calcium caused a loss of E-cadherin and resulted in an congruent to 80% decrease in DETC-KC adhesion whereas treatment of DETC with trypsin in the presence of calcium did not significantly affect E-cadherin expression or DETC-KC binding. Thus, E-cadherin may be involved in adhesion of DETC to KC. DETC are derived from TCR V gamma 3+ thymocytes that transiently populate embryonic murine thymus. We determined that TCR V gamma 3+ thymocytes as well as other early (fetal day 16) TCR gamma/delta+ thymocytes expressed E-cadherin; TCR gamma/delta+ (TCR V gamma 3-) thymocytes that developed later did not. These results indicate that cells of the T cell lineage can express E-cadherin, and suggest that E-cadherin may play a role in adhesion of DETC (and/or DETC precursors) to KC.
Lee
M G
MG
Dermatology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, MD 20892, USA.
Tang
A
A
Sharrow
S O
SO
Udey
M C
MC
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015820:Cadherins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects; D002614:Chelating Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D004492:Edetic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D000078404:Epidermal Cells; D004817:Epidermis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015870:Gene Expression; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D051381:Rats; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D014357:Trypsin / Q000494:pharmacology
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015820:Cadherins; D002614:Chelating Agents; D004492:Edetic Acid; D014357:Trypsin; D002118:Calcium