title: Cytokine regulation of major histocompatibility complex antigen expression by human oral and skin keratinocytes.
abstract: The expression, and cytokine modulation, of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I and class II molecules on oral and skin keratinocytes were compared in cell culture. Both cell types expressed class I, but not class II, constitutively. However, stimulation with interferon-gamma, but not interleukin-1 alpha, and -1 beta, tumour necrosis factor-alpha or lymphotoxin, induced increased expression of class I and de-novo expression of HLA-DR on both cell types. Oral keratinocytes differed from skin keratinocytes in that they exhibited greater sensitivity to interferon-gamma stimulation and higher stimulated expression of both class I and HLA-DR. In addition, interferon-gamma stimulated oral, but not skin, keratinocytes to express HLA-DP and -DQ. These observations suggest that, like skin keratinocytes, under certain conditions, oral keratinocytes may be able to act as antigen-presenting cells. This may be important in the initiation and progression of some immune-mediated mucocutaneous diseases. Moreover, differences in MHC expression may help to explain differences in the presentation of these diseases on the skin and oral mucosa.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Academic Group of Oral Medicine and Dental Diagnostic Science, University Dental Hospital of Manchester, UK.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Farthing
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Thornhill
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006682:HLA-DP Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000235:genetics*; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000494:pharmacology; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D008233:Lymphotoxin-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000276:immunology*; D012867:Skin / Q000276:immunology*; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D006682:HLA-DP Antigens; D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D007375:Interleukin-1; D008233:Lymphotoxin-alpha; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D007371:Interferon-gamma