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Human epidermal Langerhans cells express the ICAM‐3 molecule. Immunohistochemical and immunoelectron microscopical demonstration
Author(s) -
Manara G. C.,
Pasquinelli G.,
Giorgi L. BadialiDe,
Ferrari C.,
Garatti S. A.,
Fasano D.,
Berti E.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
british journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.304
H-Index - 179
eISSN - 1365-2133
pISSN - 0007-0963
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2133.1996.d01-738.x
Subject(s) - immunoelectron microscopy , immunohistochemistry , pathology , langerhans cell , chemistry , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , medicine , antigen , immunology
Summary Three ligands have been described for the leucocyte integrin LFA‐1, namely intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)‐1, ICAM‐2, and ICAMs show differences in tissue distribution and inducibility. The recently described ICAM‐3 is highly expressed on resting lymphocytes, monocytes and neutrophils. Here, we demonstrate that the whole human epidermal Langerhans cell (LC) population expresses this molecule. Immunohistochemical staining of skin sections with an anti‐ICAM‐3 monoclonal antibody displayed reactivity with dendritic epidermal cells regularly distributed along the epidermis. Highly‐sensitive immunoelectron microscopy procedures, performed on freshly suspended epidermal cells both at transmission and scanning electron microscopic levels, enabled demonstration that the whole LC population expresses cell surface ICAM‐3. In contrast, keratinocytes and melanocytes were consistently negative. The prominent expression of ICAM‐3 by resident LC could imply a crucial part for this molecule in leucocyte‐intercellular interactions in the skin.