[Analysis of Fas and bcl-2 expression on peripheral blood lymphocytes from primary Sjögren's syndrome].
The Fas antigen is the major trigger for apoptosis. In MRL/lpr mice, defects in Fas expression lead to autoimmunity and lymphoid accumulation, same as in the Sjögren's syndrome (SS). Bcl-2 protein is able to repress a number of apoptotic death. Therefore, we examined both Fas antigen and bcl-2 expression in peripheral blood lymphocyte (PBL) from SS patients. The rate of Fas+CD4+ PBL was significantly elevated (p < 0.01) in SS patients (n = 11) compared to normal controls (n = 15). Both Fas+CD3+ and Fas+CD8+ cells from SS patients showed a tendency to increase, whereas Fas+B cell was not different between each group. The percentages of bcl-2+ lymphocytes in SS patients were no different compared to the normal control. This study suggests that the increased expression of Fas may result in enhanced susceptibility to apoptosis.
Hamamatsu University School of Medicine.
H
H
Ohashi
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N
Ogawa
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology
D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D019014:fas Receptor