Dendritic cells in atopic dermatitis: expression of FcepsilonRI on two distinct inflammation-associated subsets.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Dendritic cells (DCs) represent a major portion within the infiltrate of atopic dermatitis (AD) lesions. As antigen-presenting cells they have the ability to regulate both the quantity and quality of T-cell responses and, thus, are likely to play a key role in the pathogenesis of T-cell-dominated skin diseases such as AD. Thus we sought to identify the DC repertoire occurring in AD patients.

METHODS:

For this purpose, we phenotypically analyzed various defined DC subsets of AD patients and healthy controls in skin biopsies and peripheral blood by immunofluorescence staining.

RESULTS:

In AD lesions, two inflammation-associated DC subsets with varying expression of costimulatory molecules occurred besides epidermal Langerhans cells (LCs) and dermal myeloid DCs (dmDCs) indigenously residing in normal skin: (1) CD1a+/CD1c+/FcepsilonRI+/IgE+/CD207- myeloid DCs (mDCs) in the epidermis and dermis and (2) CD123+/BDCA-2+/CD45RA+/CD68+ plasmacytoid DCs (pDCs) in the dermis. In the peripheral blood of the patients, these cells exhibited an immature phenotype. Interestingly, we found FcepsilonRI and cell-bound IgE to be expressed not only on myeloid, but also on plasmacytoid DCs from both the skin and peripheral blood of AD patients.

CONCLUSIONS:

It is tempting to speculate that the disease-regulating role of inflammatory DCs in AD is influenced by both FcepsilonRI occupancy and their degree of maturity.

• Authors: Georg Stary, Christine Bangert, Georg Stingl, Tamara Kopp
• Journal: International archives of allergy and immunology (Int Arch Allergy Immunol) Vol. 138 Issue 4 Pg. 278-90 (Dec 2005) ISSN: 1018-2438 [Print] Switzerland
• PMID: 16220004 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright (c) 2005 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Chemical References

• Receptors, IgE
• Immunoglobulin E

Topics

• Adult
• Biopsy, Needle
• Dendritic Cells (cytology, immunology)
• Dermatitis, Atopic (blood, immunology)
• Female
• Flow Cytometry
• Humans
• Immunoglobulin E (immunology)
• Immunophenotyping
• Male
• Microscopy, Fluorescence
• Receptors, IgE (biosynthesis, immunology)