title: Antigen presenting capacity of Langerhans cells from rat oral epithelium.
abstract: The ability of Langerhans cells (LC) from rat oral mucosa to internalize and process antigens and to participate in the induction of T cell mitogenesis was examined. To purify LC from epithelial cells, monoclonal anti-class II antibodies and immunomagnetic beads were employed. Suspensions of epithelial cells, containing LC, were found to be effective in mediating a Con A-induced T cell proliferation. Depletion of class II molecule-expressing LC reduced the proliferation of T cells by 80%. Presentation of ovalbumin (OA) to primed T cells was found to be dependent on the concentration of OA and the number of LC. Partially purified LC were five times as effective in inducing proliferation of primed T cells as the untreated suspension of epithelial cells. The data suggest that LC obtained from rat oral mucosa can generate accessory signals, process antigens and serve as antigen-presenting cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endodontology and Oral Diagnosis, University of Göteborg, Sweden.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hasséus
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Dahlgren
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bergenholtz
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jontell
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000276:immunology; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000276:immunology; D007801:Langerhans Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000276:immunology; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D003208:Concanavalin A; D010047:Ovalbumin