It has been reported that the ill vivo maturation of Langerhans cells after hapten painting is mediated by IL-II3 while Langerhans celllnaturation after ill IIU,'O culture is mediated by granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). To clarify the reason for this discrepancy, we exanlined the expression ofIa antigen and several co-stitnulatory molecules on Langerhans cells that were activated by ill .fit,'o culture, by hapten painting, or by an intradermal injection of several

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... ines. Both cultured Langerhans cells and those activated by hapten painting increased the expression of la antigen and all the co-stimulatory molecules (i.e., intercellular adhesion molecule-I [ICAM-I], B7-I, B7-2, and CD40). In contrast, an intradermal injection of interleukin-113 (IL-If3) or tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a) increased the expression of Ia antigen, ICAM-I, B7-2, and CD40, but not that ofB7-1. These data indicate that R ecentl y it ha s bee n demonstrated , b y several authors [1. 2,1 4,23,24,29 J that La n ge rhan s cell s can be m aturated both ill IIi"O and ill "ifro, Maturated Lan ge rhan s ce ll s in crease the ir expression of major histocompatibility co mp lex (M HC) class II anti gcn (Ag) and show en han ced antigcn presc n ting fun ction [4.21 ,30]. W itmer-Pack cf 111 [32J and )-ieuAer ef III [1 3] have d emon strated that the maturati o n of Langerhans cell s that occu rs after ill IIifm short-term c ulture is m ediated by g ranulocytc-ma crophagc colon ysti mulating factor (GM-CSF) and that inte rl cukin-1 (rL-l) enhances the e ffcct of GM-C SF. On the other hand, Enk cf 111 [10] havc fo und that the increase in Langcrhan s cell-derivcd IL-1 f3 mRNA signal strength is the first even t in the process of ill I,ill" maturatio n of Langerhans cell s aftcr hapte n painting . In addition, they showed that the c utaneou s inj ec tion of IL-1 f3 res ul ted in increased exp ress io n of M.H C class II Ag .. Ild en hanced antige n prese ntin g fun ction by Langerhans ccll s suggesti ng that ill lIillo ma turation o f La ngerhans ce ll s th;lt occ urs after hapte n painting is mediated by I L-I f3 18]. T herefore, if Langerhans cell maturation induced by the c utan eo us injection of IL-'l f3 is the sa me ph en om-Ma nu script rcceivcd Fcbruary II , 1995; rev ised Octobe r 26 , 1995; acc eptcd for publication October 311 . 1995. Reprint requcsts to: I r. SctSLlya Aiba. Departll1 e nt of DerIllatol ogy, To h ok u Un iversity Schoo l of Mcdicin c . 1-1, Sciryo-ma c hi, Aoba-k u . Sendai. 980-77 , J apan. Abbrev iation: TNCU. 2.4 .G-trinitroch lorobcnzenc.