Phosphatidylserine enhances the ability of epidermal Langerhans cells to induce contact hypersensitivity.
Phosphatidylserine (PS) modulates several immune functions in vitro, including T cell activation, antibody and cytokine production, and macrophage growth. In the present work we studied the effects of PS on the induction of contact hypersensitivity (CH) in mice. BALB/c mice painted with PS (9.4-75 mg/kg) and with a sensitizing dose of DNFB or oxazolone on the same skin site exhibited a dose-dependent augmentation of CH reactions to either DNFB (> 60%) or oxazolone (> 35%), respectively. Bovine brain PS-enriched phospholipid mixture, lyso-PS, and dipalmitoyl-PS also induced similar enhanced CH responses, whereas phosphatidylglycerols had no effect. Increased CH was observed only when PS was applied from 2 days before to 12 h after DNFB. Immunization of naive syngeneic mice with skin grafts that were treated with PS and DNFB also led to enhanced (> 50%) CH responses. In addition, immunization by iv injection of epidermal cell suspensions enriched for Langerhans cells (LC) or of purified LC that were treated with PS (1-100 microM, 30 min, 37 degrees C), and then modified in vitro with DNBS (1 mg/ml, 30 min, 37 degrees C) led to increased (> 30-75%) CH responses in recipient syngeneic animals. Finally, adoptive transfer of DNFB-immune lymph node cells obtained from mice that were treated with PS induced augmented CH responses in recipient animals. The results suggest that PS is capable of up-regulating the induction of CH in mice by stimulating the APC function of epidermal LC.
Girolomoni
G
G
Department of Dermatology, University of Modena, Italy.
Pastore
S
S
Zacchi
V
V
Cavani
A
A
Marconi
A
A
Giannetti
A
A
D000818:Animals; D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000276:immunology; D003877:Dermatitis, Contact / Q000276:immunology*; D004139:Dinitrofluorobenzene / Q000276:immunology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D000078404:Epidermal Cells; D004817:Epidermis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006241:Haptens / Q000276:immunology; D007116:Immunization, Passive; D007801:Langerhans Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010081:Oxazolone / Q000276:immunology; D010718:Phosphatidylserines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013997:Time Factors
D006241:Haptens; D010718:Phosphatidylserines; D010081:Oxazolone; D004139:Dinitrofluorobenzene