Aberrant expression pattern of the SS-B/ La antigen in the labial salivary glands of patients with Sjögren's syndrome.
OBJECTIVE: Salivary glands of patients with Sjögren's syndrome (SS) have been shown to be a site of anti-SS-B/ La antibody production. The present study investigated differences in the localization of the SS-B/ La antigen in labial salivary gland (LSG) tissue between SS and non-SS patients, which may explain the local antigen-driven anti-SS-B/ La response. METHODS: Distribution of SS-B/ La was studied immunohistologically in the LSG biopsy samples of 9 SS patients, 10 non-SS patients, and in normal tissues obtained at autopsy within 2 hours after death, using a mouse monoclonal antibody directed to SS-B/ La. In 3 SS and 3 non-SS patients, LSGs were also studied with affinity-purified biotinylated human antibodies directed against SS-B/ La. RESULTS: In the non-SS patients, SS-B/ La was primarily observed in the nucleoli of acinic cells of the LSGs. Patients with either primary SS or secondary SS showed an accumulation of SS-B/ La in the nucleoplasm of acinic cells. In the SS patients, SS-B/ La was also detected in the cytoplasm as a diffuse or perinuclear staining. Sometimes, SS-B/ La was found along the membrane of acinic cells as well. This aberrant nuclear and cytoplasmic distribution of SS-B/ La in SS patients correlated well with abnormalities in the composition of the plasma cell population in the LSGs, but not with a lymphocytic focus score > 1. CONCLUSION: The accumulation and redistribution of SS-B/ La in the LSGs may play an important role in the local antigen-driven anti-SS-B/ La response in SS, and can also be used to improve the diagnostic possibilities of the LSG biopsy.[1]References
- Aberrant expression pattern of the SS-B/La antigen in the labial salivary glands of patients with Sjögren's syndrome. de Wilde, P.C., Kater, L., Bodeutsch, C., van den Hoogen, F.H., van de Putte, L.B., van Venrooij, W.J. Arthritis Rheum. (1996) [Pubmed]
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