title: [Expression of osteopontin in labial glands of patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the mRNA transcription and protein expression of osteopontin (OPN) and to analyze the possible role of OPN in primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS).
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, 24 patients with pSS were selected and diagnosed according to the American-European Consensus Group criteria. The control group was composed of 14 subjects. Total RNA from labial glands was extracted. The target gene and β-actin acted as templates to perform reverse transcript polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Then mRNA expression of the target gene were semi-quantitated by the OD ratio of the target gene to β-actin bands on gel under densitometry. Immunohistocheical analysis was used to determine the expression of proteins of the target genes in labial glands from patients and healthy control.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In contrast to the control group, the mRNA transcription and protein level of the target genes in labial glands in pSS patients were significantly increased statistically (P<0.05). Spearman and Pearson rank correlation coefficients were used for analyzing the correlation of lymphocytes foci-score (LFS) with OPN expressions, the level of the mRNA transcription (0.407, P=0.049) and protein expression of OPN (0.476, P=0.039) was positively correlated with the LFS. Immunohistochemistry detected that OPN protein was not only mainly expressed in intracytoplasm of the gland duct, but also in infiltrated lymphocytes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  OPN is higher expressed in the basal and surface of labial glands of pSS patients, which may contribute to the destruction of labial glands.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100038, China.
authors.forename: Yu-hua
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Mian-song
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053495:Osteopontin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000378:metabolism*; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism*; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; C506895:SPP1 protein, human; D053495:Osteopontin