Figure 1. CHS response is attenuated, but morphology and functions of Langerhans cells are not affected in ASK1 KO mice.

(A, B) DNFB-induced CHS response is attenuated in ASK1 KO mice. Twenty-four hr after treatment of the ears of DNFB-sensitive WT and ASK1 KO mice, the ears were excised for histological analysis (A). Representative histological sections are shown (hematoxylin and eosin staining; scale bar = 300 µm). Twenty-four hours after treatment of the ear of sensitized WT and ASK1 KO mice, ear swelling was determined (B). Data are shown as the mean ± SEM (n = 4). (C) FITC-induced CHS response is attenuated in ASK1 KO mice. Twenty-four hours after treatment of the ears of FITC-sensitized WT and ASK1 KO mice, ear swelling was determined. Data are shown as the mean ± SEM (n = 4) and are representative of four experiments. (D, E) Morphology and density of Langerhans cells are not affected in ASK1 KO mice. Langerhans cells in the epidermal sheets from WT and ASK1 KO mice were stained with PE-conjugated MHC class II antibodies. Representative immunofluorescence images (D) and the calculated density of Langerhans cells in the epidermal sheets (E; n = 5) are shown. (F) FITC-induced migration of Langerhans cells to regional LNs is not affected in ASK1 KO mice. MHC class II expression and FITC fluorescence in regional LN cells isolated from mice at 24 hr after the application of FITC were analyzed by flow cytometry. Data are representative of five experiments.