Preferential localization of CD8+ alpha E beta 7+ T cells around acinar epithelial cells with apoptosis in patients with Sjögren's syndrome.
The T lymphocytes that infiltrate the exocrine glands in Sjögren's syndrome (SS) play a key role in damaging glandular epithelial cells, but the mechanisms of this damage by T lymphocytes are not fully understood. To determine the cellular basis of this phenomenon, we focused our attention on the T lymphocytes around acinar epithelial cells in SS. We showed that CD8+ but not CD4+ T lymphocytes were located around the acinar epithelial cells and that a majority of these CD8+ T lymphocytes possess an unique integrin, alpha E beta 7 (CD103). The acinar epithelial cell adherent with alpha E beta 7 (CD103)+ CD8+ T lymphocytes was apoptotic. Both the perforin/granzyme B and Fas/Fas ligand pathways were implicated in the process of programmed cell death in lacrimal glands. These results suggested that alpha E beta 7 integrin, by interacting with E-cadherin, mediates the adhesion between CD8+ T lymphocytes and acinar epithelial cells in SS and participates in inducing epithelial cell apoptosis, leading to secretory dysfunction of exocrine glands, a hallmark of SS.
Fujihara
T
T
Department of Ophthalmology, Oral Health Science Center, Tokyo Dental College, Chiba, Japan.
Fujita
H
H
Tsubota
K
K
Saito
K
K
Tsuzaka
K
K
Abe
T
T
Takeuchi
T
T
D000328:Adult; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000276:immunology*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000096:biosynthesis; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000276:immunology*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D007765:Lacrimal Apparatus / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000276:immunology*; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*
D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta