title: Detection of cleaved alpha-fodrin autoantigen in Sjögren's syndrome: apoptosis and co-localisation of cleaved alpha-fodrin with activated caspase-3 and cleaved poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) in labial salivary glands.
abstract: Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is a systemic autoimmune disease which targets the exocrine glands and is associated with autoantibodies. The mechanism of salivary gland destruction or autoantibody production is poorly understood but it is increasingly accepted that apoptosis plays a role.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study is to demonstrate the presence of cleaved alpha-fodrin autoantigen and apoptosis in the salivary glands of patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  18 patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome provided tissues from a labial salivary gland biopsy. Using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated dUTP nick end labelling (TUNEL) assays to detect DNA fragmentation followed by sequential immunoperoxidase assays in the same patient biopsy to detect cleaved alpha-fodrin, Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), and caspase-3, we show a co-localisation between apoptotic markers and disease.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Co-localisation of cleaved alpha-fodrin, PARP and caspase-3 expression was demonstrated primarily in the ducts along with DNA fragmentation in 16/18 salivary gland biopsies from Sjögren's syndrome patients. None of these apoptotic markers was strongly expressed in healthy tissues.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Apoptotic signals may provide useful therapeutic targets and cleaved alpha-fodrin may prove to be a marker of disease in primary Sjögren's syndrome. Further studies are required to ascertain the specific association of cleaved alpha-fodrin with primary and secondary Sjögren's syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Biology, School of Dentistry, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Kansas City, MO 64108, USA.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Adi S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Virji
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Howard
authors.forename: Yaseen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sayani
authors.forename: Jianghong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Achu
authors.forename: Carole
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: McArthur
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000276:immunology; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000032:analysis*; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology*; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000032:analysis*; D053938:DNA Fragmentation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008046:Lip / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008840:Microfilament Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011064:Poly Adenosine Diphosphate Ribose / Q000032:analysis*; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000276:immunology*; D013049:Spectrin
chemical_list: D001324:Autoantigens; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D053148:Caspase 3; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; D011064:Poly Adenosine Diphosphate Ribose; D013049:Spectrin