Distinct antigen trafficking from skin in the steady and active states

Int Immunol. 2003 Jun;15(6):773-9. doi: 10.1093/intimm/dxg075.

Abstract

In antigen trafficking from the skin, it has been postulated that Langerhans cells/dendritic cells are activated after capturing exogenous antigens, up-regulate the expression of the chemokine receptor, CCR7, and migrate into lymphoid organs in response to the signaling of a chemokine, CCL21, which is expressed in lymphatic vessels and T cell zone stromal cells. Here we demonstrate that there is a distinct pathway of antigen trafficking from skin in the steady state that is independent of CCL21-CCR7 signaling. Employing melanin granules as an endogenous traceable antigen, we developed a system for visualizing antigen trafficking using mice with melanocytosis in the skin. We found the abrogation of antigen trafficking into regional lymph nodes (LN) in CCL21-Ser-deficient paucity of lymph node T cells (plt) mice in the active state induced by lipopolysaccharide injection, corresponding with previous reports, but normal accumulation of antigen in regional LN under steady-state conditions. These findings suggest that self-antigen is trafficking constitutively using pathway(s) other than that of the active state and the constitutive trafficking might regulate self-reactivity of the immune system.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antigens / immunology
  • Cell Movement / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Langerhans Cells / physiology*
  • Lymph Nodes / immunology
  • Melanins / metabolism*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Mutant Strains
  • Receptors, CCR7
  • Receptors, Chemokine / metabolism*
  • Skin / immunology
  • Skin Diseases / genetics
  • Skin Diseases / immunology
  • Stem Cell Factor / genetics
  • Transgenes / immunology

Substances

  • Antigens
  • CCR7 protein, human
  • Ccr7 protein, mouse
  • Melanins
  • Receptors, CCR7
  • Receptors, Chemokine
  • Stem Cell Factor