Cytokine Gene and CD25 Antigen Expression by Peripheral Blood T Cells from Patients with Primary Sjögren's Syndrome

Abstract

We studied mononuclear cell subsets in 17 patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (PSS) and in 11 normal controls by flow cytometry. We found a decreased percentage of CD4 + cells (p = 0.027) and a higher percentage of CD8 + cells in patients as compared to controls. In both, CD4 + cells and CD8 + cells, CD25 antigen was overexpressed (p = 0.005 and p = 0.025, respectively as compared to controls). We then measured spontaneous mRNA cytokine expression by T cells from 7 PSS patients and 5 normal controls by coupled reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. We found spontaneous mRNA expression for IFN-γ, IL-10, IL-13 as well as for CD25. Our results suggest an overall T cell activation in PSS patients and provides evidence of a T cell cytokine regulatory imbalance which may play a role in the pathogenesis of this disease.

Key Words:

• Primary Sjögren's syndrome
• interleukin 2 receptor
• T cell activation
• interferon-γ
• interleukin-10
• interleukin-13