Effect of cyclosporin A (CyA) on the immunopathological lesion of the labial minor salivary glands from patients with Sjögren's syndrome.
Labial minor salivary gland biopsy specimens from 14 patients with Sjögren's syndrome treated either with cyclosporin A (CyA) or placebo (5 mg/kg body weight day for six months) were studied to determine T lymphocyte subsets and HLA-DR antigen expression using the avidin-biotin-peroxidase technique. In all CyA treated patients we observed a decrease in the number of T lymphocytes and in the number of T helper cells, while the percentage of T suppressor cells and B cells was the same in both treated and untreated groups. It was also shown that the HLA-DR antigen expression on the epithelial cells was eliminated in the CyA treated patients. These findings suggest that the HLA-DR antigen expression on the epithelial cells is the result rather than the triggering factor of this T cell mediated process and is probably related to decreased lymphokine production by activated T lymphocytes.
D003524:Cyclosporins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000187:drug effects*; D012470:Salivary Glands, Minor / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology
D003524:Cyclosporins; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens