Selective expression of V beta families by T cells in the blood and salivary gland infiltrate of patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
The T cell infiltration of the salivary gland of patients with Sjögren's syndrome (SS) has been implicated in the pathogenic process of the disease. We examined the representation of V beta subsets in the blood and salivary tissue of patients with SS.


METHODS
Circulating T cells from 12 patients and paired samples of blood and labial salivary glands obtained from 8 patients were studied. A panel of monoclonal antibodies directed against the variable region of the T cell receptor was used to enumerate the cells expressing V beta families in the peripheral blood by flow cytometry, and in tissue sections by immunofluorescence.


RESULTS
We found an increase of cells bearing V beta 2 family gene products in the circulation, and an increase in both V beta 2 and V beta 8 in the salivary gland infiltrate of patients with SS. No significant difference was noted between the 5 DR3+ patients and 7 DR3- patients studied with regard to the V beta families seen.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data are consistent with a role for specific T cell families in the pathogenesis of SS.
Department of Immunology, University College and Middlesex School of Medicine, London, UK.
M D
MD
Smith
A
A
Lamour
A
A
Boylston
F C
FC
Lancaster
Y L
YL
Pennec
A
A
van Agthoven
G A
GA
Rook
S
S
Roncin
P M
PM
Lydyard
P Y
PY
Youinou
D000328:Adult; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D015870:Gene Expression; D015803:HLA-DR3 Antigen / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure
D015803:HLA-DR3 Antigen; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; C075784:T cell receptor Vbeta8