Epidermal Langerhans cell apoptosis is inducedin vivoby nonanoic acid but not by sodium lauryl sulphate

Abstract

Exposure to irritants may cause chronic irritant contact dermatitis (ICD), characterized by irregular epidermal thickening and a predominantly dermal mononuclear cell infiltrate. The mechanisms involved, and why only certain individuals are affected, are not clearly understood. Different irritants may trigger different cellular and molecular interactions between resident skin cells and recruited inflammatory cells. In some individuals these interactions may become self-perpetuating resulting in persistent inflammation in the absence of continued exposure. This study examined Langerhans cell (LC) density in clinically normal skin of 46 patients with chronic ICD and 10 healthy individuals, and compared the action of the two irritants nonanoic acid (NA) and sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) on the LCs and keratinocytes of clinically normal skin in patients with chronic ICD. There was a higher number of LCs/mm basement membrane in patients compared with controls, although there was no difference in the number of dendrites/LC nor in dendrite length. SLS induced keratinocyte proliferation after 48 h exposure, had no effect on LC number or distribution, and induced keratinocyte apoptosis after 24 and 48 h exposure. In contrast, NA decreased keratinocyte proliferation after 24 h exposure but this returned to basal levels after 48 h, and induced epidermal cell apoptosis after only 6 h exposure. NA dramatically decreased LC number after 24 and 48 h exposure, which was accompanied by basal redistribution and decreased dendrite length. Most significantly, NA induced apoptosis in over half of the LCs present after 24 and 48 h exposure.

In vitro cell death induced by irradiation and chemicals relevant for dental applications; dose–response and potentiation effects

“…It has been shown that SLS induces apoptosis in keratinocytes, but not in epidermal Langerhans cells (22). Furthermore, a study using an SLS‐induced cutaneous inflammation model, an immunotoxin induced apoptosis in activated macrophages (23).…”

Genome-Wide Expression Analysis of Human In Vivo Irritated Epidermis: Differential Profiles Induced by Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and Nonanoic Acid

“…Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) is an irritant of the corrosive type and may-even in subclinical reactions-result in impairment of the water barrier function of the skin (Tupker et al, 1997), whereas nonanoic acid (NON) induces irritancy of the noncorrosive type-i.e., the water barrier is not always affected (Fullerton et al, 2002;Wahlberg and Lindberg, 2003). The diversity of skin reactions caused by SLS and NON is recognized clinically (Reiche et al, 1998), instrumentally (Agner and Serup, 1989), histopathologically and ultrastructurally (Willis et al, 1989;Forsey et al, 1998), immunohistochemically (Lindberg et al, 1991), and transcriptionally (Grangsjo et al, 1996). Moreover, treatment responses may be different for cumulative skin exposure to SLS compared with NON (Andersen et al, 2007).…”

Development of 3D imaging technique of reconstructed human epidermis with immortalized human epidermal cell line

“…When SDS was applied to the 3D reconstructed epidermis prepared with T‐nC‐HDK1, we observed chromatin condensation (Figure C‐E) that was characteristic of apoptotic cells . These results were similar to a previous study that showed that SDS induced apoptosis in keratinocytes in human skin . However, further studies are required to determine whether the chromatin condensation we observed in this study depends on apoptosis.…”