title: Effect of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor on the generation of epidermal Langerhans cells.
abstract: The role of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and Flt3 ligand in the in vivo development of Langerhans cells (LC) was assessed, considering both the steady-state levels of LC in the epidermis and the rate of LC recovery after depletion following lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatment. The density of LC was determined by counting following IA-specific immunofluorescent staining of epidermal sections from mouse ears. LC levels were compared in beta common chain receptor null (beta c(-/-)) mice that fail to respond to GM-CSF interleukin-5 (IL-5), in GM-CSF transgenic mice with elevated GM-CSF levels, and in mice given daily injections of Flt3 ligand. In the steady state, LC levels were increased in GM-CSF transgenic mice and present at reduced levels in beta c(-/-) mice but unchanged in Flt3 ligand-injected mice. Application of LPS to the ears of control BL/6 mice led to an approximately 70% reduction in LC 4 days later, with recovery beginning by day 8 and a return to normal levels by 2 weeks. This recovery was significantly delayed in beta c(-/-) mice and unchanged in Flt3 ligand-injected mice. These results suggest that GM-CSF (but not Flt3 ligand) enhances recruitment/maturation of LC even though GM-CSF is not essential for their formation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA. burnham@okstate.edu
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Burnham
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Robb
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: O'Keeffe
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shortman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000172:deficiency / Q000502:physiology*; D007801:Langerhans Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic
chemical_list: D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor