Local thermal injury elicits immediate dynamic behavioural responses by corneal Langerhans cells

Abstract

Summary Langerhans cells (LCs) represent a special subset of immature dendritic cells (DCs) that reside in epithelial tissues at the environmental interfaces. Although dynamic interactions of mature DCs with T cells have been visualized in lymph nodes, the cellular behaviours linked with the surveillance of tissues for pathogenic signals, an important function of immature DCs, remain unknown. To visualize LCs in situ, bone marrow cells from C57BL/6 mice expressing the enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) transgene were transplanted into syngeneic wild‐type recipients. Motile activities of EGFP+ corneal LCs in intact organ cultures were then recorded by time lapse two‐photon microscopy. At baseline, corneal LCs exhibited a unique motion, termed dendrite surveillance extension and retraction cycling habitude (dSEARCH), characterized by rhythmic extension and retraction of their dendritic processes through intercellular spaces between epithelial cells. Upon pinpoint injury produced by infrared laser, LCs showed augmented dSEARCH and amoeba‐like lateral movement. Interleukin (IL)‐1 receptor antagonist completely abrogated both injury‐associated changes, suggesting roles for IL‐1. In the absence of injury, exogenous IL‐1 caused a transient increase in dSEARCH without provoking lateral migration, whereas tumour necrosis factor‐α induced both changes. Our results demonstrate rapid cytokine‐mediated behavioural responses by LCs to local tissue injury, providing new insights into the biology of LCs.

Topical interleukin-1 receptor antagonist inhibits inflammatory cell infiltration into the cornea

“…Sun et al (2006) demonstrated that IL-1 receptor antagonist prevented apoptosis during ex vivo expansion of human limbal epithelial cells cultivated on human amniotic membranes. Ward et al (2007) found that IL-1 receptor antagonist modulated immediate dynamic behavioral responses by corneal Langerhans cells in response to corneal thermal injury.…”

Prophylactic Treatment with Fms-Like Tyrosine Kinase-3 Ligand after Burn Injury Enhances Global Immune Responses to Infection

“…It is not clear from these studies whether the cells are migrating to the infection site, or from the site of infection in transit to the lymphatics. However, it has been reported that corneal Langerhans cells laterally migrate to a local thermal injury (45). Additionally, increased numbers of DC have been detected in the dermis at the border of human burn wounds (46).…”

Cutting Edge: Membrane Nanotubes In Vivo: A Feature of MHC Class II+ Cells in the Mouse Cornea

“…There are a number of possible explanations for the presence of these long nonbridged nanotubes. They may indeed be forming a connection to a neighboring but undetected cell or their processes could be seeking contact with distantly located cells in a manner akin to the recently described "dendrite surveillance extension and recycling habitude" (dSEARCH) behavior of DCs (23,24). De novo nanotubes, yet to establish a connection to neighboring cells, have been described in culture conditions (1,19).…”