| Abstrakt: |
The antigen receptor diversity of pathogenic T cells in Sjogren's syndrome (SS) may have important implications in the development of the disease: cytokines from these cells and other sources also play a role in the pathogenesis of this disease. Using a semi-quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique, we have attempted to correlate the presence of restriction in the T-cell receptor (TCR) repertoire with cytokine profiles. We have analysed TCR Vα family usage, and the expression of interleukin-1α (IL-1α), IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-13, interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), in labial biopsies from 12 patients with SS and compared these with samples from three patients with chronic sialadenitis (CS). Only one of the SS biopsies showed evidence of Vα restriction (three out of 18 gene families). Apart from this, expression patterns were similar in both patients groups. Four of the 12 SS samples demonstrated a 'limited heterogeneity' of the Vα repertoire with 3-4 families predominantly expressed, in particular Vα1 and Vα3. Peripheral blood lymphocytes were unrestricted. The cytokine profiles of the SS and CS biopsies were generally similar. However both IFN-γ and IL-1α were absent from CS, but present in SS samples. The expression of IFN-γ in the majority of the samples, together with a lack of IL-4 and IL-13 mRNA, suggests the predominance of a Th1 response in SS. There was no clear association between the repertoire of α genes expressed and the cytokine profile observed. However, the Vα restriction in one SS sample did correspond with a limited diversity of cytokines detected. |
