title: Number of Langerhans cells is decreased in premalignant keratosis and skin cancers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It was shown earlier that a number of CD207 positive Langerhans cells was lower in basal cell carcinomas than in the normal epidermis. Moreover, benign skin lesions presented a higher number of Langerhans cells when they were compared to malignant tumors.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To count Langerhans cells, assessing expression levels of CD1A and CD207 markers in actinic keratosis, basal and squamous cell carcinomas, compared with the normal skin. Comparison of Langerhans cells might give a valuable prognostic marker for skin cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Immunohistochemistry and methods of statistics were used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Expression of CD1A and CD207 markers was assessed in tumor samples of actinic keratosis, cutaneous basal and squamous cell carcinomas, in comparison with the normal skin. In each cohort there were 40 patients (and 11 healthy individuals). We have shown that the number of Langerhans cells is considerably lower in cutaneous basal and squamous cell carcinomas, compared with their number in the normal skin (p < 0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CD1A expression correlated with CD207 expression only in the control group. There was no correlation in actinic keratosis, basal and squamous cell carcinoma. This may suggest an alteration of Langerhans cells phenotype in skin neoplastic diseases, making the number of Langerhans cells a valuable prognostic factor for skin tumors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology (MTC), Karolinska Institute, Nobels vag. 16, Stockholm17177, Sweden.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Shevchuk
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Genetic, Medical University, Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Filip
authors.affiliation: Military Institute of Medicine, Warsaw 04141, Poland.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Shevchuk
authors.affiliation: R.E. Kavetsky Institute of Experimental Pathology, Oncology and Radiobiology, NAS of Ukraine, Kyiv 03022, Ukraine.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kashuba
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000096:biosynthesis; D018949:Antigens, CD1 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007642:Keratosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D007801:Langerhans Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D037181:Lectins, C-Type / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008297:Male; D037241:Mannose-Binding Lectins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008875:Middle Aged; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D018949:Antigens, CD1; C419393:CD1a antigen; C121916:CD207 protein, human; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D037241:Mannose-Binding Lectins