title: [B7-H4 expression of salivary gland and sera in patients with primary Sjogren's syndrome].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To detect the expression of B7-H4 in salivary gland and sera in patients with primary Sjogren's syndrome (pSS).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 40 pSS patients were referred to our department from June 2009 to January 2011. Immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry were used to detect the expression of B7-H4 in salivary gland from pSS patients and disease controls. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect soluble B7-H4 of serum from pSS patients and healthy donors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Immunohistological staining revealed that B7-H4 antigen was restricted to tubular epithelium. The B7-H4 positive expression of tubules in salivary gland biopsies from pSS patients (18 ± 14)% were lower than that of controls (85 ± 13)% (P < 0.05). Flow cytometry revealed that the B7-H4 expression of cell suspensions from salivary gland from pSS patients (42 ± 21)% were lower than that of controls (48 ± 22)% (P < 0.01). And the serum level of soluble B7-H4 detected in pSS patients (49 ± 31)µg/L significantly decreased than that in healthy donors (71 ± 27) µg/L (P < 0.05) and positively correlated with saliva and tear flow rates (P < 0.01) respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The expression of B7-H4 molecule may play some roles in the progression of pSS. And a further understanding of its mechanism helps to elucidate the pathogenesis of pSS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology & Immunology, Affiliated Anhui Provincial Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230001, China.
authors.forename: Da-liang
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Xiao-mei
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xi-mei
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xiao-qiu
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xiang-pei
authors.initials: XP
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000378:metabolism*; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D060907:V-Set Domain-Containing T-Cell Activation Inhibitor 1 / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D060907:V-Set Domain-Containing T-Cell Activation Inhibitor 1