Migration of skin dendritic cells in response to ionizing radiation exposure

We describe an imaging assay that monitors the migration of two unique subsets of immune dendritic cells (DC), interstitial dendritic cells (iDC) and Langerhans cells (LC), found in the dermal and epidermal layers of skin, respectively. Using this assay, we study responses of these cells to ionizing radiation. Results obtained using whole-mount histology and fluorescence microscopy suggest that ionizing radiation triggered the migration of both major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II(+) iDC and Langerin(+) LC in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Migration appeared to be limited by local administration of recombinant IL-12, a potent immunostimulatory cytokine known to induce DNA repair. Those findings were extended to an in vivo model by injecting fluorescently conjugated anti-MHC class II antibodies intradermally into the ears of live, anesthetized mice and visualizing the DC population in the same ear before and after radiation exposure using confocal microscopy.