To elucidate how cyclosporine A affects antigen-presenting cell subsets and their function in human skin, we studied patients with psoriasis undergoing a therapeutic trial of cyclosporine A. Immunologic parameters abnormal in psoriatic epidermis were evaluated before and early in the course of therapy. We quantitated function and numbers of skin biopsy-derived epidermal cells with potential antigen-presenting cell (APC) activity. The antigen-presenting capacity of epidermal cells from normal-appearing skin to activate allogeneic T cells was profoundly inhibited (81% decrease) 7 d after the onset of therapy (p < 0.05). Thus, cyclosporine A therapy inhibited T-cell activation mediated by Langerhans cells in uninvolved skin. By contrast, in lesional skin epidermal allo-antigen presenting activity was only partially inhibited at this early time point (55 ±7% decrease) (p < 0.01, n = 8). The percentage decrease in allo-antigen-presenting cell activity correlated with reduced clinical activity of the lesions, r = 0.84. In three patients also examined at 14 d, we found an additional 42 ± 5% decrease between day 7 and day 14. Decreased allo-antigen-presenting activity in lesional skin was not associated with a decrease in the number of CD1+ Langerhans cells or epidermal cell release of detectable amounts of cyclosporine A or other soluble factors that abrogate T-cell alloreactivity. The time course and degree of inhibition of antigen-presenting capacity within involved psoriatic skin correlated best with a significant (p < 0.01) reduction in non-Langerhans cell DR+ leukocytes (from 3.0 ±1.2% to 1.0 ± 0.6% at day 7) (r = 0.71). Cyclosporine A therapy was associated with a rapid and complete loss of HLel-DR+ keratinocytes (94% decrease at 7 d) in lesional skin despite the skin still being quite involved with psoriasis at this point and antigen-presenting cell activity being only 60% reduced. In conclusion, cyclosporine A interferes with T-cell activation by human epidermis through at least two mechanisms: 1) in uninvolved skin, rapid inhibition of Langerhans cell-mediated activation of T cells, and 2) in lesional skin, delayed inhibition of antigen-presenting activity which appears to correlate with the time course and level of reductions in non-Langerhans cell DR+ leukocytes. The antigen-presenting activity of the latter cells appears to be cyclosporine A resistant. In psoriatic lesions, early and complete loss of DR expression on lesional keratinocytes during cyclosporine A therapy is likely due to decreased lesional T-cell lymphokine production critical for keratinocyte DR expression. Concomitantly, decreased recruitment and retention of infiltrating leukocytes by T-cell lymphokines may result in the depletion of non-Langerhans antigen-presenting leukocytes from lesional epidermis. © 1990.
