Acute effect of DMBA application on Langerhans cells of the hamster buccal pouch mucosa.

One, two, and three applications of DMBA in mineral oil to hamster buccal pouch mucosa did not result in obvious histologic alterations in experimental periods ranging from 4 1/2 hours to 2 weeks after the last DMBA application. However, there were significant increases in the number of Langerhans cells, as disclosed histochemically with ATPase staining. There was also an increase in the length and size of the dendritic processes of the Langerhans cells. Applications of DMBA in oil resulted in a consistently significant increase in Langerhans cells when compared to the buccal pouch mucosa of untreated animals. However, mineral oil applications also resulted in a slight increase in Langerhans cells when compared to the mucosa of untreated controls. The major effects of the DMBA on Langerhans cells occurred after 2 weeks and with increasing numbers of applications. The increase in Langerhans cells is interpreted as an enhanced response by immunologically competent cells which may represent an early immune response to the very early changes in carcinogenesis.