FIGURE 8.

Galectin-1 promotes the migration of skin DCs to regional lymph nodes in vivo. MRL-fas mice were intradermally injected with a single 10-μl bolus of 80 μm DTT buffer control or the indicated concentrations of galectin-1 (20 μm = 2.8 μg, 60 μm = 8.4 μg, and 100 μm = 14 μg) preincubated with 10 μg/ml polymyxin B and then painted with 25 μl of a FITC solution at the dorsum of the ear 24 h post-injection, as described under “Experimental Procedures.” A, representative dot plots of single cell suspensions of cervical lymph nodes harvested at 48 h post-FITC painting. Gated FSC^hiSSC^hi cells were analyzed for FITC and CD40 or major histocompatibility complex class II to identify putative skin DC emigrants. B, gated FITC⁺CD40⁺ cells were further analyzed for CD207 (Langerin) and CD11c. C, absolute numbers of migrant skin DCs (FITC⁺CD11c⁺CD40^hi) in draining lymph nodes are shown from each mouse (n = 4/group). Galectin-1 significantly enhanced the trafficking of skin emigrants to draining lymph nodes (p < 0.0005, one-way analysis of variance for all groups; p = 0.00576 between the 0–20 μm groups and the 60–100 μm groups; unpaired Student's t test).