title: Primed and naive helper T cells in labial glands from patients with Sjogren's syndrome.
abstract: This study has investigated the presence and distribution of B cells, T cells and T-cell subsets within labial glands of patients with primary Sjogren's syndrome (n = 9) and secondary Sjogren's syndrome associated with rheumatoid arthritis (n = 8) using a sequential double immunoperoxidase technique and true colour image analysis. The composition of the inflammatory infiltrates was similar in glands from both patient groups. B cells were normally present within large foci with few detected in diffuse infiltrates such that the ratio of T:B cells in foci (2.4:1) was significantly lower than in diffuse infiltrates (7.3:1; P less than 0.001). In all infiltrates helper T cells (CD8-, CD3+) predominated over suppressor/cytotoxic cells (CD8+, CD3+; 2.7:1). Analysis of primed (CD45RA-, CD45RO+) and naive (CD45RA+, CD45RO-) CD8- T cells showed that the ratio of the primed to naive subset was significantly higher in focal (4.2:1) compared to diffuse (1.5:1; P less than 0.001) areas of lymphoid infiltration. These results indicate that the focal lymphocytic infiltrates characteristic of Sjogren's syndrome contain B cells associated with a T-cell population consisting predominantly of primed CD8- helper T cells. This latter population may be responsible for upregulating glandular B-cell activity in Sjogren's syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Surgery, University of Birmingham, UK.
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Matthews
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Deacon
authors.forename: G D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Kitas
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salmon
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Potts
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hamburger
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Bacon
mesh_terms: D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D016827:CD8 Antigens