Fc receptors of human Langerhans cells.

Receptors for the Fc fragment of immunoglobulins (Fc R) exhibit specificities for a wide variety of immunoglobulin classes and subclasses. In humans, at least three distinct classes of receptors for the Fc fragments of IgG (Fc gamma RI, II, III) and two classes of receptors for the Fc fragments of IgE (Fc epsilon RI, II) have been characterized. These classes were largely defined on the basis of their affinities for different immunoglobulin subclasses and their reactivities with monoclonal anti-receptor antibodies. Among these FcR, in healthy individuals, epidermal Langerhans cells (LC) express only the Fc gamma RII/CDw32. This FcR--a member of the immunoglobulin superfamily--is only present on about 50% of freshly isolated CD1a positive cells, as determined by rosette assays. It has a Mr of 40 kDa, is trypsin resistant, binds polymeric human IgG and murine IgG1-coated erythrocytes, and reacts with anti-CDw32 monoclonal antibodies (MoAb). LC internalize Fc gamma RII by receptor-mediated endocytosis. After 48 h of culture, human LC loose their Fc gamma RII, as revealed by flow cytometry. While the function(s) of the Fc gamma RII on human LC remain(s) unknown, this receptor may be primarily involved, like the Fc gamma RII present on mouse macrophages, in the clearance of extra-cellular immune complexes. In patients with atopic dermatitis having an elevated IgE serum level, beside an increased expression of the Fc gamma RII by LC located on lesional skin, IgE-bearing epidermal and dermal LC are present, again essentially on lesional skin. Double immunolabeling on cryosections reveals that on lesional skin only about 50% of the epidermal CD1a positive cells bear IgE. This capacity of LC to bind IgE molecules appears to be due to the presence of a specific Fc epsilon R. While the class of this Fc epsilon R still remains unclear, it appears to have some particularities: i) an associated expression with the CD1a antigen, ii) an affinity for IgG, and iii) a trypsin resistance. In vitro, human recombinant interleukin (IL)-4 and/or interferon (IFN)-gamma are able to induce the synthesis and expression of Fc epsilon RII/CD23 on a percentage of normal human epidermal LC. This Fc epsilon RII seems to be functional since it binds IgE molecules, this binding being prevented by preincubation with anti-CD23 MoAb.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)