CYTOKINE AND ADHESION MOLECULE EXPRESSION IN THE MINOR SALIVARY-GLANDS OF PATIENTS WITH SJOGRENS-SYNDROME AND CHRONIC SIALOADENITIS

Objective-To investigate the role of cytokines and cell adhesion molec ules in the pathogenesis of Sjogren's syndrome (ss). Methods-Using an indirect immunoperoxidase technique we assessed the expression of the cytokines interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 b eta), inter1eukin-8 (IL-8), transforming growth factor beta (TGF beta) and granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), of the adhesion molecules intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), lympho cyte function associated antigen-1 (LFA-1), the activated molecular fo rm of LFA-1 (NKI-L16), CD2, and LFA-3, and of a panel of cellular mark ers in the minor salivary glands, Results-In SS and chronic sialoadeni tis (CS), the ductal epithelial cells and acini expressed all the cyto kines examined. The percentage of glandular mononuclear cells which st ained positive for cytokines did not differ significantly between SS a nd CS. NKI-L16 was detected on 33.6 (SD 10.1)% and 15.3 (4.3)% of LFA- 1 cells in SS and CS, respectively (p < 0.002). Conclusion-SS and CS d id not differ in the pattern of cytokines examined. The characteristic cell clustering seen in the salivary glands in SS may be caused by th e upregulation of NKI-L16.