TY - JOUR
T1 - Fas and Fas ligand expression in the salivary glands of patients with primary Sjogren's syndrome
AU - Kong, Liping
AU - Ogawa, Noriyoshi
AU - Nakabayashi, Toru
AU - Liu, George T.
AU - D'Souza, Errol
AU - Mcguff, H. Stan
AU - Guerrero, Daniel
AU - Talal, Norman
AU - Dang, Howard
PY - 1997
Y1 - 1997
N2 - Objective. To assess the role of Fas-mediated apoptosis in the salivary glands of patients with primary Sjogren's syndrome (SS). Methods. Expression of Fas, Fas ligand (FasL), and bcl-2 in salivary gland biopsy material was detected in situ by immunohistochemical staining and reverse transcriptase- polymerase chain reaction. DNA fragmentation in apoptotic cells was assessed by the enzymatic incorporation of labeled nucleotides (digoxigenin-dUTP). Results. The acinar epithelial cells in SS were Fas+ and FasL+, and these cells died by apoptosis. The majority of infiltrating lymphocytes in SS were Fas+ and bcl-2+, while few lymphocytes expressed FasL. In situ detection of apoptosis showed minimal cell death of lymphocytes, particularly in dense periductal foci. Lymphocytic cell death was significantly lower (P < 0.0001) in these foci compared with that in the interstitium. Conclusion. Infiltrating lymphocytes in the focal lesions of the salivary glands of patients with SS are blocked in their ability to commit to apoptosis, even though they may express Fas. The presence of bcl-2 in these cells may explain their inability to undergo apoptosis. The acinar epithelial cells, in contrast, may undergo Fas-mediated apoptosis. These results suggest that the Fas death pathway may be an important mechanism leading to the glandular destruction found in SS.
AB - Objective. To assess the role of Fas-mediated apoptosis in the salivary glands of patients with primary Sjogren's syndrome (SS). Methods. Expression of Fas, Fas ligand (FasL), and bcl-2 in salivary gland biopsy material was detected in situ by immunohistochemical staining and reverse transcriptase- polymerase chain reaction. DNA fragmentation in apoptotic cells was assessed by the enzymatic incorporation of labeled nucleotides (digoxigenin-dUTP). Results. The acinar epithelial cells in SS were Fas+ and FasL+, and these cells died by apoptosis. The majority of infiltrating lymphocytes in SS were Fas+ and bcl-2+, while few lymphocytes expressed FasL. In situ detection of apoptosis showed minimal cell death of lymphocytes, particularly in dense periductal foci. Lymphocytic cell death was significantly lower (P < 0.0001) in these foci compared with that in the interstitium. Conclusion. Infiltrating lymphocytes in the focal lesions of the salivary glands of patients with SS are blocked in their ability to commit to apoptosis, even though they may express Fas. The presence of bcl-2 in these cells may explain their inability to undergo apoptosis. The acinar epithelial cells, in contrast, may undergo Fas-mediated apoptosis. These results suggest that the Fas death pathway may be an important mechanism leading to the glandular destruction found in SS.
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U2 - 10.1002/art.1780400113
DO - 10.1002/art.1780400113
M3 - Article
C2 - 9008604
AN - SCOPUS:0031028533
SN - 0004-3591
VL - 40
SP - 87
EP - 97
JO - Arthritis and rheumatism
JF - Arthritis and rheumatism
IS - 1
ER -