The Effects of Acute Social Stress on Epidermal Langerhans' Cell Frequency and Expression of Cutaneous Neuropeptides

• Published in: Journal of investigative dermatology Vol. 128; no. 5; pp. 1273 - 1279
• Main Authors: Kleyn, C. Elise, Schneider, Laura, Saraceno, Rosita, Mantovani, Cristina, Richards, Helen L., Fortune, Donal G., Cumberbatch, Marie, Dearman, Rebecca J., Terenghi, Giorgio, Kimber, Ian, Griffiths, Christopher E.M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Danvers, MA Elsevier Inc 01.05.2008; Nature Publishing; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Acute Disease; Adolescent; Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Biopsy; Calcitonin gene-related peptide; Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide - metabolism; Cell Movement - immunology; Data processing; Dermatology; Epidermal Cells; Epidermis - immunology; Epidermis - innervation; Female; Fibers; Humans; Inflammatory diseases; Internet; Langerhans cells; Langerhans Cells - cytology; Langerhans Cells - immunology; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Nerve Endings - metabolism; Nerves; Neuropeptides; Neuropeptides - metabolism; Pain Measurement; Skin diseases; Social interactions; Stress; Stress, Psychological - immunology; Ubiquitin Thiolesterase - metabolism; Langerhans cell; Antigen presenting cell; Dermatology; Acute; Epidermis; Frequency; Skin; Neuropeptide; Social aspect; Stress
• ISSN: 0022-202X; 1523-1747
• DOI: 10.1038/sj.jid.5701144

Psychological stress is believed to exacerbate inflammatory skin disease but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. We investigated the impact of acute social stress – Trier public speaking test – on: epidermal Langerhans’ cell (LC) frequency; and cutaneous nerve fiber expression of protein gene product (PGP) 9.5 and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP). Thirty-six healthy volunteers each had a pair of baseline 6mm biopsies taken from sun-protected buttock skin. A second pair of biopsies was taken from contralateral buttock 4hours (n=5) or 24hours (n=15) after the Trier stressor. Controls (n=16) did not perform the Trier and had biopsies 24hours apart. One of each pair of biopsies (baseline; 4 or 24hours) was processed for counts of epidermal CD1a+ LC; the other examined for PGP 9.5 and CGRP expression. We observed a significant (P<0.01) 16.4% reduction in epidermal LC frequency 24hours post-stressor as compared with baseline; there was no significant change from baseline in non-stressed controls. At 24hours, PGP 9.5 and CGRP were increased (P=0.025) and reduced (P=0.03), respectively, from baseline in the stressed group compared with controls. These data suggest that acute social stress reduces epidermal LC frequency and modulates cutaneous neuropeptide expression thereby supporting the concept of a “brain–skin” axis.