Flow cytometry analysis of adhesion molecules on human Langerhans cells

The Langerhans cell (LC) migrates between the epidermis and the regional lymph nodes to present antigens. This migration pattern requires the expression of a changing repertoire of cell-surface molecules. In this work, we have investigated the expression of the adhesion molecules CD 11/CD 18 and CD 58 on LCs. Human epidermal cell suspensions were enriched in LCs (mean enrichment 75%) using a two-step technique including a Ficoll-Hypaque gradient followed by Fc receptor panning with IgG-coated sheep erythrocytes. The number of cells obtained per experiment was 750,000 (extremes 280,000-1,800,000), and the following antibodies were tested on fresh suspensions and/or after 48 hours in culture: BB3 (antithyroglobulin negative control IgG2a), OKT6 (anti CD1a, Ortho), anti HLA-DR (Becton-Dickinson), MHM 24 (anti CD 11a, leukocyte typing workshop n(0)3), MO1 and 44 (anti CD 11b, leukocyte typing workshop n(0)3), anti CD 11c (Immunotech), 60.3 and MHM 23 (anti CD 18, leukocyte typing workshop n(0)2), TS2/9.1.1 (anti CD 58, leukocyte typing workshop n(0)3). We found that amongst CD 11 subunits, only CD 11c was expressed in fresh suspensions, but was weaker than CD 18, and disappeared with culture. CD 58 was not detected in fresh suspensions but appeared after 2 days of culture, confirming earlier work. Thus the LC exhibits cell surface characteristics similar to tissue macrophages (CD 18 and CD 11c) prior to culture. The expression of CD 58 after culture is in accordance with the interaction of LC with CD2 bearing T-lymphocytes during antigen presentation in peripheral lymph-nodes.