title: An abnormal T cell repertoire in hypergammaglobulinaemic primary Sjögren's syndrome.
abstract: T cell antigen specificity is determined by the products of the genes which encode the variable regions of their receptors. Of the T cell receptor (TCR) variable region gene products examined, only V beta 6.7a TCR-positive lymphocytes were reduced in primary Sjögren's syndrome patients with IgG1 hypergammaglobulinaemia compared with an age-, sex- and HLA-matched control population. The levels of V beta 6.7a T cells were also significantly reduced when these patients were compared with an age- and sex-matched but HLA-unmatched control group and non-tissue typed normal people of both sexes. Since published studies show no such abnormality in rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus or other autoimmune diseases, this abnormality may reflect a pathogenic process specific to primary Sjögren's syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Regional Immunology Service, St Mary's Hospital, Manchester, UK.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Kay
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Hay
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Dyer
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dennett
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Bernstein
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Holt
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Pumphrey
authors.forename: A W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Boylston
authors.forename: W E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Ollier
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D006942:Hypergammaglobulinemia / Q000276:immunology*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D008875:Middle Aged; D010641:Phenotype; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000032:analysis; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D006680:HLA Antigens; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell