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All‐trans retinoic acid induces functional maturation of epidermal Langerhans cells and protects their accessory function from ultraviolet radiation
Author(s) -
Dunlop Katharine J.,
Halliday Gary M.,
Barnetson Ross St. C.
Publication year - 1994
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/j.1600-0625.1994.tb00278.x
Subject(s) - retinoic acid , ultraviolet radiation , function (biology) , microbiology and biotechnology , chemistry , cancer research , biology , biochemistry , gene , radiochemistry
Retinoids provide some protection against ultraviolet radiation‐induced skin damage. We have previously shown that topical all‐trans retinoic acid prevents ultraviolet light from reducing the density of epidermal Langerhans cells in the epidermis but does not inhibit the development of immunosuppression to a locally applied contact sensitizer. We therefore investigated the ability of all‐trans retinoic acid to modulate Langerhans cell induction of allogeneic T‐cell proliferation in the mixed epidermal cell lymphocyte reaction. Langerhans cells isolated from all‐trans retinoic acid‐treated mice induced an enhanced mixed epidermal cell lymphocyte reaction. This is similar to Langerhans cells cultured with granulocyte‐macrophage colony stimulating factor. Retinoic acid treatment also enhanced the allogeneic cell‐stimulating capability of Langerhans cells isolated from ultraviolet‐irradiated mice. Langerhans cells from all‐trans relinoic acid‐treated, ultraviolet‐irradiated mice which were “matured” by 3 days in culture induced a larger mixed epidermal cell lymphocyte reaction than mice treated with solvent and ultraviolet irradiation. Thus all‐trans retinoic acid treatment of mice causes Langerhans cell maturation and inhibits ultraviolet light from reducing their density or impairing their allogeneic cell‐stimulating capacity. However, these mice remained immuno‐suppresscd upon application of a contact sensitizer to irradiated or unirradiated skin. It is thus likely that, whereas all‐trans relinoic acid protects local Langerhans cell numbers and function, it does not inhibit the production of an ultraviolet radiation‐induced photoproduct which causes immunosuppression.