Resumen

PONTE-SUCRE, A; SCHARNER, A  y  MOLL, H. Modulación de la expresión de Moléculas Co-Estimulatorias y de adhesión de las Células de Langerhans por el Lipofosfoglicano (Lpg) de Leishmania Major. RFM [online]. 2002, vol.25, n.1, pp.51-54. ISSN 0798-0469.

Despite the immunological changes recognized to be produced during Leishmania major infection it is not known whether Leishmania lipophosphoglycan (LPG), the most abundant glycolipid on the parasite surface, affects the maturation of Langerhans cells and their immune functions. Now we provide evidence that exposure of BALB/c-derived Langerhans cells to LPG has consequences for their maturation and phenotype. Up-regulation of adhesion molecules, such as CD31 and VE-Cadherin, are observed after overnight exposure of Langerhans cells to LPG. On the other hand, expression of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules was not affected. Many of the changes are also induced in Langerhans cells incubated with L. major-conditioned medium, indicating that the observed effects may be mediated by soluble factors released by L. major into the culture, as it is the case for the carbohydrate moiety of LPG. These results provide new insights into the immunoregulatory role of dendritic cells during Leishmania infection. The changes in surface molecule expression induced by the exposure of Langerhans cells to LPG might reflect enhanced maturation of the cells and facilitation of their migration from the infected skin into the draining lymph nodes.

Palabras clave : Leishmania; Dendritic cells; Cell maturation; Cell migration.