title: Aberrant expression pattern of the SS-B/La antigen in the labial salivary glands of patients with Sjögren's syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Salivary glands of patients with Sjögren's syndrome (SS) have been shown to be a site of anti-SS-B/La antibody production. The present study investigated differences in the localization of the SS-B/La antigen in labial salivary gland (LSG) tissue between SS and non-SS patients, which may explain the local antigen-driven anti-SS-B/La response.
  
  
  METHODS
  Distribution of SS-B/La was studied immunohistologically in the LSG biopsy samples of 9 SS patients, 10 non-SS patients, and in normal tissues obtained at autopsy within 2 hours after death, using a mouse monoclonal antibody directed to SS-B/La. In 3 SS and 3 non-SS patients, LSGs were also studied with affinity-purified biotinylated human antibodies directed against SS-B/La.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the non-SS patients, SS-B/La was primarily observed in the nucleoli of acinic cells of the LSGs. Patients with either primary SS or secondary SS showed an accumulation of SS-B/La in the nucleoplasm of acinic cells. In the SS patients, SS-B/La was also detected in the cytoplasm as a diffuse or perinuclear staining. Sometimes, SS-B/La was found along the membrane of acinic cells as well. This aberrant nuclear and cytoplasmic distribution of SS-B/La in SS patients correlated well with abnormalities in the composition of the plasma cell population in the LSGs, but not with a lymphocytic focus score > 1.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The accumulation and redistribution of SS-B/La in the LSGs may play an important role in the local antigen-driven anti-SS-B/La response in SS, and can also be used to improve the diagnostic possibilities of the LSG biopsy.
authors.affiliation: University Hospital, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: de Wilde
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kater
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bodeutsch
authors.forename: F H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: van den Hoogen
authors.forename: L B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: van de Putte
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: van Venrooij
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008046:Lip; D051379:Mice; D012261:Ribonucleoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D012470:Salivary Glands, Minor / Q000276:immunology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D000097585:SS-B Antigen
chemical_list: D001324:Autoantigens; D012261:Ribonucleoproteins; D000097585:SS-B Antigen