In addition to the interaction between the TCR and the MHC/Ag complex on the APC, optimal T cell activation also requires interaction between adhesion molecules on the APC and their ligands on T cells. We determined the presence of adhesion molecules on human epidermal Langerhans cells (LC) and their role in Ag-specific T cell activation. Freshly isolated LC did not display ICAM-1 (CD54), ICAM-2, LFA-1 (CD11a), and LFA-3 (CD58), as detected by double-color FACS analysis, using HLA-DR expression for LC identification. Upon culture, LC clearly expressed ICAM-1 and LFA-3, both already detectable after 1 day, reaching a plateau at day 2. ICAM-2 and LFA-1 were undetectable on cultured LC and attempts to induce this expression by different culture conditions remained unsuccessful. mAb against ICAM-1, LFA-1, LFA-3, and CD2, continuously present during culture, inhibited the T cell proliferative response to Candida albicans presented by cultured LC. Pretreatment of LC and/or T cells with mAb indicated that anti-ICAM-1 and anti-LFA-3 inhibited at the LC level, whereas anti-LFA-1 and anti-CD2 inhibited at the T cell level. The mAb-induced inhibition was dose-dependent, but a total blockade of the response was never achieved. Time-course observations revealed that ICAM-1 and LFA-3 on LC only functioned during the initiation phase of T cell activation. Our study demonstrates that both ICAM-1 and LFA-3 on LC considerably contribute to the generation of a T cell response. The high expression of these accessory molecules enable LC, at least in part, to perform their powerful Ag-presenting function.