Expression of adhesion and activation molecules in human buccal epithelial cell lines and normal human buccal epithelium in situ

An in vitro culture system may be used to analyse interactions between T cells and epithelium. We have analysed two human buccal squamous epithelial cell lines: SqCC/Y1, derived from a buccal carcinoma, and SVpgC2a, an SV-transformed healthy buccal squamous epithelium. Under serum-free culture conditions, the cell lines resemble normal buccal squamous epithelium in situ in their expression of MHC class I, CD29 (β1 integrin), CD40, CD44, CD54 (ICAM-1), CD58 (LFA-3), CD95 (Fas), and E-cadherin. Furthermore, when the SVpgC2a cell line was treated with T-cell derived cytokines, upregulation of CD40 expression was observed when the cells were treated with IL-4, whereas IFN-γ caused upregulation in expression of CD40, CD54 and MHC Class II. These buccal squamous epithelial cell lines, therefore, provide a good tool for analysing interactions between epithelium and T cells in vitro.