[Langerhans cells and presentation of antigens]

Epidermal Langerhans cells express only very few Class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigens, whose ability to present peptides released from the breakdown of endogenous proteins has not been investigated to date. Langerhans cells strongly express a "nonconventional" Class I molecule, the CD1a antigen. The role played by this antigen on the surface of Langerhans cells remains unelucidated: either release or uptake of peptides derived from the body has been speculated. Langerhans cells also express Class II MHC antigens and in vitro freshly recovered Langerhans cells are capable of capturing antigens, processing them and presenting the resulting peptides associated with Class II MHC molecules to immunocompetent cells. This property is not, however, permanent. Cultured Langerhans cells are no longer capable of processing antigens because they lose their ability to (i) acidify endosomes and (ii) produce the alpha, beta and invariant chains of class II MHC molecules. Cultured Langerhans cells acquire the capacity of stimulating T lymphocytes. This contrast between the in vitro properties of freshly recovered and cultured Langerhans cells may reflect in vivo differences between epidermal Langerhans cells and Langerhans cells which have migrated to regional lymph nodes.