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T‐Cell Response to Purified Protein Derivative after Removal of Langerhans' Cells from Epidermal Cell Suspensions Containing Keratinocytes Expressing Class II Transplantation Antigens
Author(s) -
TJERNLUND U.,
SCHEYNIUS A.,
JOHANSSON C.,
HAGFORSEN E.,
NILSSON H.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.934
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1365-3083
pISSN - 0300-9475
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3083.1988.tb01500.x
Subject(s) - antigen , microbiology and biotechnology , transplantation , immunology , t cell , human leukocyte antigen , cd1 , chemistry , biology , antigen presenting cell , medicine , immune system
In a previous study we observed that human epidermal cell (EC) suspensions containing HLA‐DR‐expressing keratinocytes showed an amplified T‐cell response to purified protein derivative (PPD). To evaluate further the possible immunological importance of class II transplantation antigens on keratinocytes we have compared the T‐cell response to PPD in the presence of the following stimulator cells: EC suspensions from normal skin, or EC from tuberculin‐reactive skin with or without removal of Langerhans' cells. The proliferation of purified T lymphocytes from peripheral blood in response to PPD in the presence of various concentrations of autologous EC was measured by [ 3 H]thymidine incorporation on day 6. In 3 experiments out of 4 the EC from tuberculin‐reactive skin, containing 28–76% HLA‐DR‐expressing cells as judged by immunocytochemistry (which also revealed fairly numerous HLA‐DQ/ ‐DP‐expressing keratinocytes and a slight increase in CD36‐ and CD4‐ but not CD1‐expressing cells), induced a more pronounced T‐cell response to PPD than did normal EC. This was not the case in the fourth experiment, in which a small number of HLA‐DR‐ (15%) and few if any HLA‐DQ‐/‐DP‐expressing keratinocytes were found. Immunomagnetic removal of CD1‐reactive Langerhans' cells from the tuberculin‐reactive EC suspensions resulted in a reduction of the T‐cell response to PPD, in most cases down to background level (T cells alone + PPD). This study does not support the hypothesis that HLA‐DR‐expressing keratinocytes can in themselves act as antigen‐presenting cells.