Autoimmunity and coxsackievirus infection in primary Sjogren's syndrome.
Exocrine gland epithelial cells are the target of autoimmune pathology in primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS). Their activated phenotype has incited the notion that they are infected by a virus. We recently presented evidence that coxsackieviruses may persistently infect the salivary glands of pSS patients. We hypothesize that coxsackieviruses may play a permissive role for the perpetuation and possibly the induction of autoimmune disease in pSS.
Triantafyllopoulou
Antigoni
A
Department of Pathophysiology, National University of Athens Medical School, M. Asias 75, Goudi, Athens 11527, Greece.
Moutsopoulos
Haralampos M
HM
D000818:Animals; D015551:Autoimmunity; D003384:Coxsackievirus Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D029822:Enterovirus B, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D017423:Sequence Analysis, RNA; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*