Langerhans cells are not required for epidermal Vgamma3 T cell homeostasis and function

J Leukoc Biol. 2011 Jul;90(1):61-8. doi: 10.1189/jlb.1010581. Epub 2011 Apr 12.

Abstract

This study tested the hypothesis that Vγ3 TCR-bearing T cells are influenced by LCs. Vγ3 T cells and LCs are located in the epidermis of mice. Vγ3 T cells represent the main T cell population in the skin epithelium and play a crucial role in maintaining the skin integrity, whereas LCs are professional APCs. Although Vγ3 T cells and LCs form an interdigitating network in the epidermis, not much is known about their reciprocal influence and/or interdependence. We used two different LC-deficient mouse models, in which LCs are constitutively or inducibly depleted, to investigate the role of LCs in maturation, homeostasis, and function of Vγ3 T cells. We show that Vγ3 T cell numbers are unaltered by LC deficiency, and Vγ3 T cells isolated from LC-deficient mice are phenotypically and upon in vitro stimulation, functionally indistinguishable from Vγ3 T cells isolated from WT mice based on their cytotoxic potential and cytokine production. Additionally, in vivo skin-wounding experiments show no major difference in response of Vγ3 T cells to wounding in the absence or presence of LCs. These observations indicate that Vγ3 T cells develop and function independently of LCs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Differentiation / immunology
  • Cell Separation
  • Epidermal Cells
  • Epidermis / immunology
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Homeostasis / immunology*
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Langerhans Cells / cytology
  • Langerhans Cells / immunology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / immunology*
  • Skin / cytology
  • Skin / immunology*
  • T-Lymphocytes / cytology
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology*

Substances

  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta