Human gingival Langerhans cells as accessory cells in mitogen induced T cell responses

Peripheral blood and gingival tissue was collected from patients undergoing surgery for the treatment of periodontal disease. Both unfractionated peripheral blood mononuclear cells and a T cell-enriched, monocyte-depleted lymphocyte population were isolated from the blood samples while a gingival epithelial cell suspension was prepared from the oral aspect of the gingival tissue. The blood cells (1 X 10(5)) were then co-cultured with the gingival epithelial cells (1 X 10(5) and 1 X 10(4)) in 200 microliters aliquots in microtitre trays for three days to see if the epithelial cells could act as accessory cells in the lymphocyte response to the mitogen, phytohaemagglutinin (PHA). Lymphocyte proliferation was assessed by measuring the uptake of [6-3H] thymidine during the last 18 hours of culture. Removal of monocytes from peripheral blood mononuclear cells led to a significant, but not total, reduction in the proliferative response to PHA. When gingival epithelial cells were added to the T cells they restored their response to PHA in a dose dependent fashion. As Langerhans cells were the only potentially immunocompetent cells seen in the epithelial cell suspensions, it is concluded that these cells are acting as accessory cells in the T cell response to PHA.