[Immunopathology of Gougerot-Sjogren syndrome].
Sjögren's syndrome presents as an autoimmune exocrinopathy, and the term autoimmune epitheliitis has recently been coined. The major lesion is a lymphocyte infiltrate affecting the salivary glands and consisting predominantly of activated CD4+ T cells. The remaining 20% B lymphocytes, first polyclonal, turn out to be monoclonal. Epithelial cells are endowed with a key-part in the play, inasmuch as they gather together most of the Sjögren's syndrome-specific target autoantigens within apoptotic bodies, and possess all the characteristics of antigen presenting cells. There appears to be every likelihood that the sequence is triggered off by a thus far unknown virus.
Laboratoire d'immunologie, Institut de synergie des sciences et de la santé CHU BP 824 29609 Brest. youinou@univ-brest.fr
P
P
Youinou
X
X
Mariette
D017209:Apoptosis / Q000276:immunology; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001706:Biopsy; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology
D001323:Autoantibodies; D015415:Biomarkers