CD68 positive epidermal dendritic cells.
In a pilot study designed to investigate immunopathologic events in the evolution of cutaneous lesions in pemphigus foliaceus, we found that in this condition the epidermis is replete with CD68+ dendritic cells. The present study was designed to investigate the nature of this novel intraepidermal CD68+ cell population. For that purpose lesional skin of five patients with PF and, for comparison, of patients with another acantholytic autoimmune disease, pemphigus vulgaris, were examined using a panel of monoclonal antibodies in a three-step immunoperoxidase technique, in an immunofluorescence double-labeling technique, and by immunoelectron microscopy. We found epidermal CD1a+ Langerhans cells significantly decreased in pemphigus foliaceus compared to pemphigus vulgaris, but pemphigus foliaceus and not pemphigus vulgaris epidermis harbored large amounts of bone marrow-derived (CD45+) cells that expressed CD68, HLA-DR, and beta 2-integrin antigens, the most pronounced expression being observed for CD11c and CD18. These epidermal CD68+ cells were of dendritic shape, were CD1a-, and lacked Birbeck granules (BG); however, a small portion of CD68+ cells was also CD1a+ and exhibited BG as revealed by immunoelectron microscopy. These findings demonstrate that in certain conditions, i.e., in pemphigus foliaceus but not in pemphigus vulgaris, there is a shift from CD1a+/CD68- epidermal Langerhans cells towards CD1a-/CD68+ dendritic epidermal cells. The detection of a small number of CD1a+/CD68+/BG+ dendritic epidermal cells may identify these cells as a link between the CD1a+/CD68+/BG+ Langerhans cells and the CD1a-/CD68+/BG- cell population and suggests that these cells represent a transitional form of myelomonocytic cells during their phenotypic and morphologic transformation into resident epidermal Langerhans cells.
Petzelbauer
P
P
Department of Dermatology, University of Vienna Medical School, Austria.
Födinger
D
D
Rappersberger
K
K
Volc-Platzer
B
B
Wolff
K
K
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis*; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic / Q000032:analysis*; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000032:analysis; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000276:immunology; D016169:Lymphocyte Function-Associated Antigen-1 / Q000032:analysis; D008875:Middle Aged; D010392:Pemphigus / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D000097382:CD68 Molecule
D015703:Antigens, CD; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic; D017252:CD3 Complex; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D016169:Lymphocyte Function-Associated Antigen-1; C067980:CD68 antigen, human; D000097382:CD68 Molecule