IL-12 prevents the inhibitory effects of cis-urocanic acid on tumor antigen presentation by Langerhans cells: Implications for photocarcinogenesis

UV radiation induces skin cancer primarily by its DNA-damaging properties, but also by its capacity to suppress the immune system. The photoisomer of urocanic acid (UCA), cis-UCA, is an important mediator of UV-induced immuno suppression and is involved in the inhibition of tumor immunity. The immuno modulatory cytokine IL-12 is known to counteract many of the immunosuppress ive effects of UV radiation, including UV-induced immune tolerance. In this study, we addressed whether IL-12 also reverts the immunosuppressive activ ities of cis-UCA. Cis-UCA inhibits the ability of Langerhans cells to prese nt tumor Ags for primary and secondary tumor immune responses. IL-12 treatm ent completely prevented the suppression by cis-UCA. IL-12 also protected m ice from cis-UCA-induced suppression of contact hypersensitivity responses. To study the effects of cis-UCA on Ag-processing and Ag-presenting functio n in vitro, Langerhans cells were treated with UCA isomers and incubated wi th OVA or OVA peptide(323-339) before exposure to OVA-specific transgenic T cells. Cis-, but not trans-UCA suppressed Ag presentation, which was compl etely reversed upon addition of IL-12. Since these findings suggest that ci s-UCA may play an important role in photocarcinogenesis by inhibiting a tum or immune response, mice were chronically UVB irradiated to induce skin can cer. Whereas all mice in the control groups developed tumors, mice treated with a mAb with specificity for cis-UCA showed a significantly reduced tumo r incidence. These data strongly indicate the importance of cis-UCA during photocarcinogenesis and support the concept of counteracting cis-UCA as an alternative strategy to prevent UV-induced skin cancer, possibly via the ap plication of IL-12.