Development of motility of Langerhans cell through extracellular matrix by in vitro hapten contact.

To study the migration capacity of Langerhans cells in vitro, a reconstituted basement membrane invasion assay (Matrigel assay) was performed. Partially enriched human epidermal Langerhans cell suspensions (6-20%) were incubated with or without haptens [2,4,6-/trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS) and fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)] or an irritant sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) in Hanks' balanced salt solution for 10 min at 37 degrees C, and were then used for the invasion assay. Fibroblast-conditioned medium prepared from human dermal fibroblasts was used as a source of chemoattractants. Non-treated cells showed a gradual increase in migration of HLA-DR-positive cells through the Matrigel-coated filters in a time-dependent manner. In vitro TNBS and FITC treatment resulted in a significant stimulation of this migration. By contrast, SLS treatment did not increase the number of migrating cells. The migration capacity of hapten-treated cells decreased both in the absence of human fibroblast-conditioned medium and in the presence of this medium in the upper compartment of the chamber, indicating that this medium actually functioned as chemoattractant. Our findings suggest that the contact between hapten and Langerhans cells could be one of the triggers to initiate and/or stimulate Langerhans cell migration from the epidermis to the dermis. In addition, some factors derived from the dermal fibroblasts may promote and regulate the directional migration of Langerhans cells.