Evidence for a role of Langerhans cell-derived IL-16 in atopic dermatitis

BACKGROUND: The factors controlling infiltration of inflammatory cells into atopic dermatitis (AD) lesions remain to be fully explored. Recently, epidermal cells in lesional AD were reported to contain increased messenger (m)RNA levels of IL-16, a cytokine that induces chemotactic responses in CD4(+)T cells, monocytes, and eosinophils. OBJECTIVES: We sought to determine the expression of IL-16 in epidermal cells in normal skin and skin from AD lesions and to investigate whether Langerhans cell (LC)-derived IL-16 may contribute to the initiation of atopic eczema. METHODS: The cutaneous expression of IL-16 was investigated by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry. Expression of IL-16 was also investigated in freshly isolated LCs and in keratinocytes by intracellular cytokine staining, quantitative real-time RT-PCR, and ELISA. RESULTS: Low levels of IL-16 mRNA, but no stored IL-16 protein, were detected in keratinocytes and LCs isolated from normal skin. Synthesis, storage, and secretion of IL-16 could be induced in LCs, but not keratinocytes, by activation with phorbol ester and ionomycin. In normal skin (n = 10) neither keratinocytes nor LCs expressed IL-16. In contrast, IL-16 was contained in approximately 40% of CD1a(+)LCs in patients with active AD (n = 16). IL-16 expression in LCs in patients with AD correlated with the number of infiltrating CD4(+)cells (r =.72, P =.0017) and was completely downregulated parallel to the clinical response of AD lesions to topical treatment with FK506. CONCLUSION: LC-derived IL-16 may participate in the recruitment and activation of inflammatory cells in AD.