Ayala-García Isai, Hernández-Segura Ana Martha, Castell-Rodríguez Andrés, Alvarez Pérez S Judith, Téllez Beatriz Hernández, Ramírez-González María Dolores
School of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico.
Proc West Pharmacol Soc. 2005;48:13-20.
Langerhans cells (LC) are antigen presenting cells of the epidermis originated from bone marrow progenitors that arrive into the epidermis through the blood vessels LC are also referred to as dendritic cells. In the presence of antigens LC become activated and migrate from the skin to the lymph nodes where they induce T cells responses, therefore, LC function as sentinels of the epidermis and constitute, in part the Skin Immune System (SIS). LC have been implicated in the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of diverse diseases such as atopic dermatitis, alopecia areata, human immunodeficiency virus infection (HIV) and melanoma, among others. The aim of this review is to draw the attention of pharmacologists towards LC as targets for drug action and drug development due to their immunesurveillance function. LC modulate the SIS as an endogenous mechanism of defense against many infectious agents, xenobiotics, and for the treatment of cancer, infections, and autoimmune diseases. A review of the literature on LC is presented here giving emphasis to LC cell cycle and cellular and molecular characteristics, LC possible role in human pathologies, and LC therapeutic potential.
朗格汉斯细胞（LC）是表皮中的抗原呈递细胞，起源于骨髓祖细胞，通过血管进入表皮。LC也被称为树突状细胞。在存在抗原的情况下，LC被激活并从皮肤迁移至淋巴结，在那里它们诱导T细胞反应。因此，LC作为表皮的哨兵发挥作用，部分构成皮肤免疫系统（SIS）。LC与多种疾病的发病机制和病理生理学有关，如特应性皮炎、斑秃、人类免疫缺陷病毒感染（HIV）和黑色素瘤等。本综述的目的是由于LC的免疫监视功能，引起药理学家对其作为药物作用和药物开发靶点的关注。LC调节SIS，作为抵御许多感染因子、外源性物质以及用于治疗癌症、感染和自身免疫性疾病的内源性防御机制。本文对关于LC的文献进行综述，重点关注LC细胞周期以及细胞和分子特征、LC在人类病理学中的可能作用以及LC的治疗潜力。
