Activated Langerhans cells release tumor necrosis factor

Langerhans cells act as antigen-presenting cells in immune reactions in the skin. What other roles they may play in inflammation is less well defined. We have tested whether these cells can produce TNF-alpha, an important mediator of inflammation. Resting Langerhans cells produce less than 0.1 U TNF-alpha/ml. Langerhans cells stimulated with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) release 4-5 U TNF-alpha/ml. Specificity of the released TNF-alpha in an L929 cytotoxicity assay was confirmed by using neutralizing anti-TNF-alpha monoclonal antibodies, and the identity of TNF-alpha was further confirmed by Northern blot hybridization with an TNF-alpha oligomer DNA probe. Activated Langerhans cells may contribute to inflammation in the skin by releasing TNF-alpha, which is known to effect fibroblast growth, endothelial cell activation, and lymphocyte function.