Vasculitis and expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, and E-selectin in salivary glands of patients with Sjögren's syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
We investigated the relationship between clinical symptoms and the grade of histopathological damage and expression of adhesion molecules in salivary glands of patients with Sjögren's syndrome (SS).


METHODS
We studied untreated and recently diagnosed patients with primary (n =20) and secondary SS [10 with SS and rheumatoid arthritis (RA); 10 with SS and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)] and 3 healthy controls. Salivary gland biopsies were performed in patients and controls and clinical data were obtained. Salivary gland biopsies were assessed for lymphocyte focus score and expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), and E-selectin. In serum, antinuclear antibodies, rheumatoid factor, anti-Ro and anti-La antibodies, anti-alpha-fodrin IgA and IgG antibodies, and gamma-globulin concentrations were measured.


RESULTS
In salivary gland samples, ICAM-1 was expressed on vascular endothelial cells and lymphocyte foci, while VCAM-1 was expressed on vascular endothelial cells and follicular dendritic reticulin cells. There was a positive correlation between lymphocyte focus score and ICAM-1 expression (p < 0.05). We detected correlation between expression of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1, and the expression of VCAM-1 was significantly related to vasculitis (p < 0.05). The areas of E-selectin expression and the dispersion and severity of staining were not correlated with the focus score or with patients' clinical features (p > 0.05). There was no correlation between the staining and autoantibody positivity and gamma-globulin levels.


CONCLUSIONS
ICAM-1 may be important for lymphocyte recruitment and glandular damage and VCAM-1 may be important for the development of vasculitis in patients with SS.
Turkcapar
Nuran
N
Department of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, School of Medicine, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey. nurant@tr.net
Sak
Serpil Dizbay
SD
Saatci
Mustafa
M
Duman
Murat
M
Olmez
Umit
U
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019040:E-Selectin / Q000378:metabolism*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012470:Salivary Glands, Minor / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D014657:Vasculitis / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
D019040:E-Selectin; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1