Description
Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a disease characterized by the accumulation of eponymous CD1a+ Langerin+ Langerhans-cell (LC)-like dendritic cells (DC) of largely unknown origin. Here we have performed comparative transcriptome analysis of highly purified CD207+/CD1a+ Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) cells derived from different locations and disease courses and three major human dendritic cell lineages: epidermal Langerhans cells, myeloid dendritic cells (mDC1) and plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDC) in order to investigate the relationship between LCH cells and naturally occurring dendritic cells. Data obtained indicate that LCH cells form a distinct DC entity. Furthermore, we have identified transcripts that are uniquely expressed by LCH cells in comparison to LC, mDC1, and pDC, and induce LCH-specific features in human DC.