Holíková Z, Smetana K, Bartůnková J, Dvoránková B, Kaltner H, Gabius H J
Charles University, 1st Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Anatomy, Prague, Czech Republic.
Folia Biol (Praha). 2000;46(5):195-8.
Langerhans cells are dendritic antigen-presenting cells residing predominantly in the epidermis. Since endogenous galactoside-binding lectins with the jelly-roll motif (galectins) are known to trigger cellular responses, including mediator release, we investigated by lectin histochemistry the cells' capacity to bind two common members of this family, i.e. galectin-1 and -3. Actually, surrounding keratinocytes express a high level of galectin-3, and these cells can be considered as donors of this lectin to Langerhans cells. Employing biotinylated galectin-1 and -3, and concomitantly an antibody against CD1a as a second marker, to visualize the position of Langerhans cells in the human epidermis, the expression of galectin-3-reactive glycoligands in contrast to the lack of binding of galectin-1 was observed. Although the functional consequences of this selectivity are unclear, these results reveal an example for differential cellular reactivity towards two related endogenous lectins.
朗格汉斯细胞是主要存在于表皮的树突状抗原呈递细胞。由于已知具有果冻卷基序的内源性半乳糖苷结合凝集素（半乳凝素）可触发细胞反应，包括介质释放，我们通过凝集素组织化学研究了这些细胞结合该家族两个常见成员，即半乳凝素-1和-3的能力。实际上，周围的角质形成细胞表达高水平的半乳凝素-3，并且这些细胞可被视为该凝集素向朗格汉斯细胞的供体。利用生物素化的半乳凝素-1和-3，并同时使用抗CD1a抗体作为第二种标记物，以可视化人表皮中朗格汉斯细胞的位置，观察到半乳凝素-3反应性糖配体的表达，与之形成对比的是半乳凝素-1缺乏结合。尽管这种选择性的功能后果尚不清楚，但这些结果揭示了细胞对两种相关内源性凝集素的不同反应性的一个例子。
