title: Langerhans cell expression of neuropeptide Y and peptide YY.
abstract: Neuropeptide Y (NPY) and peptide YY (PYY) are structurally related peptides with a variety of known functions. The role of these peptides in the skin is largely unknown, although NPY-like immunoreactivity has been reported in the epidermis. The recent report that these peptides have antimicrobial properties suggests that NPY and PYY may contribute to the skin's defense mechanisms against invading microorganisms. We have demonstrated that Langerhans cells (LC) and a certain BALB/c epidermis-derived dendritic cell line contain mRNA for NPY and PYY using RT-PCR. Furthermore, this dendritic cell line as well as an epidermis-derived dendritic cell line from A/J mice were found to produce NPY and PYY and LC produced PYY, as assessed by radioimmunoassay. These data suggest that the protective function of LC include not only antigen presentation, but also production of antimicrobial peptides.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Joan and Sanford I Weill Medical College of Cornell University, 525 East 68th Street, New York, New York 10021, USA.
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Lambert
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Campton
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ozawa
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Granstein
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D004817:Epidermis / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000494:pharmacology; D007801:Langerhans Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009478:Neuropeptide Y / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D019894:Peptide YY / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012007:Rectum / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D009478:Neuropeptide Y; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D019894:Peptide YY; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor