Differential regulation of epidermal and dermal dendritic cells by IL-12 and Flt3 ligand

[摘要] An abrogation of the decline in epidermal Langerhans cell numbers above melanoma might significantly improve the efficacy of immunotherapy for melanoma treatment. Systemic Flt3 ligand (FL) administration in mice induced a significant increase in mature dendritic cells (DC) within the skin, preferentially in the dermis, whereas IL-12 promoted a significant increase of immature DC preferentially in the epidermis. Both effects were abrogated in IL-12 knockout mice. Thus, IL-12 could promote FL-induced accumulation of skin DC. The involvement of FL and IL-12 in the regulation of DC accumulation within the skin may contribute, at least in part, to the stimulation of antimelanoma immunity by FG and IL-12-based immunotherapies. Moreover, FL and IL-12 could be used for selective in vivo generation of DC in either epidermis or dermis for experimental and clinical purposes.

[发布日期] 1999-12-01

[关键词] antigen-presenting cell;cell trafficking;cytokine;Langerhans cell