T cell clones from a Sjögren's syndrome salivary gland biopsy produce high levels of IL-10.
Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is characterized by a focal periductal salivary gland infiltrate consisting mainly of T and B lymphocytes. Most of the T cells bear the memory CD4+ Th1-like phenotype and express high levels of class II, though CD8+ cells are also present. We have studied 17 labial salivary gland and 15 peripheral blood T cell clones from a patient with primary SS. The tissue clones were 71% CD8+ and 29% CD4+, and the peripheral blood-derived clones were 60% CD8+ and 40% CD4+. The CD4+ T cell clones from both the salivary gland and autologous peripheral blood were of the Th1 phenotype, in that they produced interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and IL-2 but very little IL-4 after 24 h stimulation with phorbol myristate acetate and anti-CD3 antibody. The salivary gland-derived CD4+ clones produced 15 times more IL-10 (7.92 ng/ml) than peripheral blood-derived CD4+ clones (0.52 ng/ml, P < or = 0.02). The tissue CD8+ clones produced 1.2 times (P < 0.04) more IFN-gamma and CD4+ clones produced 3.5 times less IL-2 (P < 0.02) than the respective PBM-derived clones. The accumulation of Th1-type cells producing high levels of IL-10 in the salivary gland suggests a specific immunoregulatory function at the site of inflammation in SS.
Brookes
S M
SM
Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, London, UK.
Cohen
S B
SB
Price
E J
EJ
Webb
L M
LM
Feldmann
M
M
Maini
R N
RN
Venables
P J
PJ
D001706:Biopsy; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D002999:Clone Cells; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000473:pathology*; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology
D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D016753:Interleukin-10