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Differential expression of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in lipopolysaccharide‐stimulated melanocytes from lightly and darkly pigmented skin
Author(s) -
Tam Irena,
DzierżęgaLęcznar Anna,
Stępień Krystyna
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
experimental dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.108
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1600-0625
pISSN - 0906-6705
DOI - 10.1111/exd.13908
Subject(s) - chemokine , melanocyte , tlr4 , lipopolysaccharide , downregulation and upregulation , biology , immune system , cytokine , immunology , inflammation , nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase , proinflammatory cytokine , keratinocyte , toll like receptor , microbiology and biotechnology , melanin , cancer research , innate immune system , melanoma , cell culture , gene , biochemistry , nad+ kinase , genetics , enzyme
Increasing evidence suggests that human epidermal melanocytes play an important role in the skin immune system; however, a role of their pigmentation in immune and inflammatory responses is poorly examined. In the study, the expression of Toll‐like receptor 4 ( TLR 4) and inflammatory cytokines and chemokines by cultured normal melanocytes derived from lightly and darkly pigmented skin was investigated after cell stimulation with lipopolysaccharide ( LPS ). The basal TLR 4 mRNA level in heavily pigmented cells was higher as compared to their lightly pigmented counterparts. Melanocyte exposure to LPS upregulated the expression of TLR 4 mRNA and enhanced the DNA ‐binding activity of NF ‐κB p50 and p65. We found substantial differences in the LPS ‐stimulated expression of numerous genes encoding inflammatory cytokines and chemokines between the cells with various melanin contents. In lightly pigmented melanocytes, the most significantly upregulated genes were nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase ( NAMPT /visfatin), the chemokines CCL 2 and CCL 20, and IL 6, while the genes for CXCL 12, IL ‐16 and the chemokine receptor CCR 4 were the most significantly upregulated in heavily pigmented cells. Moreover, the lightly pigmented melanocytes secreted much more NAMPT , CCL 2 and IL ‐6. The results of our study suggest modulatory effect of melanogenesis on the immune properties of normal epidermal melanocytes.