Binghe Wang

Review: Contact Hypersensitivity: The Mechanism of Immune Responses and T Cell Balance

The skin is the largest organ in the human body. It acts not only as an important structural barrier against injury but also as a peripheral arm of the immune system. Elucidating the characteristics of this latter function has taken on renewed importance in recent years. Exposure to chemicals in everyday life has increased exponentially over the past decades. This has been accompanied by an increased incidence of contact hypersensitivity (CHS), a dendritic cell-dependent, T cell-derived, cytokine-mediated skin inflammation. Cytokines derived from Langerhans cells (i.e., interleukin-12 [IL-12]) and from T cell (i.e., interferon-gamma [IFN-gamma], IL-4, and IL-10) play a pivotal role in the induction and initiation of CHS. Developments in immunology and molecular biology have improved our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying this immune response. However, the conflicting opinions that continue to characterize discussions of CHS supply clear testimony that our knowledge is as yet incomplete.

Review: Molecular Mechanism of Ultraviolet-Induced Keratinocyte Apoptosis

This article reviews advances in the study of the molecular mechanisms for ultraviolet (UV)-induced keratinocyte apoptosis, with particular reference to the cytokines tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and Fas ligand (FasL). TNF-alpha and FasL induce their respective receptors and then activate caspase enzymes that are critically involved in the apoptotic process. This activation is further amplified by intracellular mitochondria-associated mechanisms. Using gene-targeted knockout mice lacking either the TNF-Rp55 or the TNF-Rp75, we have shown that TNF-alpha plays an important role in UV-induced keratinocyte apoptosis via TNF-Rp55. TNF-Rp55 shares homology with Fas and contains an intracellular death domain. UV seems to directly stimulate cross-linking of Fas, resulting in the engagement of the death machinery. Fas-associated death domain protein (FADD) acts as an adapter protein in both the TNF-Rp55 and Fas death-inducing cascades and is responsible for downstream signal transduction by recruiting caspases. Moreover, signaling of p53 contributes to the induction of apoptosis by regulating Bcl-2 family expression and increasing surface Fas expression. In addition to induction mechanisms of apoptosis, there are numerous inhibitory molecules that play a role in restricting the apoptotic pathway. Thus, the ultimate determination of whether or not a cell undergoes apoptosis after UV radiation is based on the balance between agonist and antagonist pathways.

Contribution of Langerhans Cell-Derived IL-18 to Contact Hypersensitivity

The epidermal Langerhans cells (LC), a member of the dendritic cell family, and the LC-derived cytokine IL-12 play a pivotal role in the initiation of contact hypersensitivity (CHS), a Th1 immune response in the skin. Because IL-18, another LC-derived cytokine, shares functional and biological properties with IL-12, we examined a potential role for IL-18 in CHS initiation. Our studies demonstrated that during the induction phase of murine CHS, IL-18 mRNA was significantly up-regulated in the skin-draining lymph nodes (LN). Migratory hapten-modified LC in LN expressed high levels of IL-18 mRNA and secreted functional IL-18 protein. LN cells produced significant amounts of IFN-γ following in vitro IL-12 stimulation, which could be partially blocked by anti-IL-18 Ab, suggesting a synergistic role for endogenous IL-18 in IFN-γ production by LN cells. Because mature IL-18 requires cleavage of immature precursors by caspase-1, we further examined IL-12-induced IFN-γ production in caspase-1−/− LN cells. An impaired IFN-γ production was seen in caspase-1−/− LN cells, which could be restored by addition of exogenous IL-18, supporting a role for caspase-1-cleaved, mature IL-18 in IFN-γ production. Finally, in vivo studies showed that CHS responses were significantly inhibited in mice treated with neutralizing IL-18 Ab as well as in caspase-1−/− mice deficient in mature IL-18, indicating functional relevance for IL-18 in CHS. Taken together, our studies demonstrate that LC-derived IL-18 significantly contributes to CHS initiation.

Cytokine knockouts in contact hypersensitivity research.

Contact hypersensitivity (CHS) is a Langerhans cell (LC)-dependent, T cell-mediated cutaneous immune response. CHS reflects a culmination of LC activities in vivo: uptake of epicutaneous antigens, migration into lymph nodes, and presentation of antigens to naïve T cells. Although studies have suggested involvement of the cytokine network in LC migration and CHS initiation, the in vivo function of individual cytokines remains largely unknown. Gene targeting technology has made it possible to study in vivo functions of cytokines through gene-targeted knockout (KO) mice deficient in a given cytokine or its receptor. A variety of cytokine knockouts have been used to assign biological functions to specific cytokines in CHS. These studies have contributed significantly to our understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying CHS.

Insights into molecular mechanisms of contact hypersensitivity gained from gene knockout studies

Contact hypersensitivity (CHS), a dendritic‐cell (DC)‐dependent, T‐cell‐mediated skin immune response to reactive haptens, has been a subject of intense research for many years. The molecular mechanisms underlying CHS are complicated and are not fully understood. During the past few years, varieties of gene‐targeted knockout mice have been used in the study of CHS. Such studies have contributed significantly to our understanding of the mechanisms responsible for the initiation of CHS. This review focuses on insights into molecular requirements for CHS gained from knockout studies.

Immune Modulation in Pemphigus Vulgaris: Role of CD28 and IL-10

Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is an autoimmune bullous skin disease characterized by Abs to the desmosomal cadherin desmoglein-3. Although the autoantibodies have been shown to be pathogenic, the role of the cellular immune system in the pathology of pemphigus-induced acantholysis is unclear. To further delineate the potential role of T cell-signaling pathways in the pathogenesis of PV, we performed passive transfer experiments with PV IgG in gene-targeted mutant mice. Our results demonstrated that CD28-deficient mice (lacking a costimulatory signal for T cell activation) are 5-fold more sensitive to the development of PV than wild-type mice. To evaluate whether the higher incidence of disease was due to an impairment in intercellular adhesion of keratinocytes, we performed an in vitro acantholysis, using CD28−/− mice keratinocytes. No alteration in in vitro adhesion was detected in CD28−/−-type keratinocytes. Because the CD28 molecule plays a pivotal role in the induction of Th2 cytokines, we examined the levels of a prototypic Th2 cytokine (IL-10) in CD28−/− mice. Lower levels of IL-10 mRNA were found in lesions from CD28−/− mice. To determine whether pemphigus susceptibility in CD28−/− was related to IL-10 deficiency, we performed passive transfer experiments in IL-10−/− mice that demonstrated increased blisters compared with controls. To confirm that IL-10 is involved in the pathogenesis, rIL-10 was given with PV IgG. IL-10 significantly suppressed the disease activity. These data suggest a potential role of IL-10 in PV.

Rethinking the role of tumour necrosis factor-alpha in ultraviolet (UV) B-induced immunosuppression: altered immune response in UV-irradiated TNFR1R2 gene-targeted mutant mice.

Background Ultraviolet (UV) B‐induced immunosuppression, implicated in the pathogenesis of skin cancers, is postulated to be mediated in part by cis‐urocanic acid (cis‐UCA) via tumour necrosis factor (TNF)‐α. TNF‐α produces morphological changes in Langerhans cells indistinguishable from those induced by UVB exposure and antibodies against TNF‐α have been demonstrated to inhibit UVB‐induced immunosuppression in vivo.