Antibodies to CD4 in primary Sjögren's syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to examine whether antibodies against CD4 are present in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome, and to explore the possible correlation between these antibodies and the CD4+ T lymphocyte depletion that is seen in some Sjögren patients.


METHODS
Sera from 214 patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome, 154 healthy blood donors, 38 age- and sex-matched controls without autoimmune disease, and 77 HIV-1-seropositive individuals were analysed by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using recombinant soluble CD4 as the antigen.


RESULTS
Anti-CD4 antibodies were observed more frequently in patients with Sjögren's syndrome (12.6%) as compared with the control groups (0.6%) (P < 0.001), and at a level similar to that seen among the HIV-1 patients (13.0%). However, no correlation was found between the presence of anti-CD4 antibodies and CD4+ T lymphocytopenia in the Sjögren patients.


CONCLUSIONS
This is the first study that shows anti-CD4 antibodies in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome. The significance of these antibodies in the immunopathogenesis of Sjögren's syndrome remains to be determined.
Henriksson
G
G
Department of Medical Microbiology, University Hospital, Malmö and. Sjögren's Syndrome Research Centre, Department of Rheumatology, University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden.
Manthorpe
R
R
Bredberg
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000032:analysis; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000032:analysis; D008231:Lymphopenia; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor / Q000032:analysis; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*
D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor