IDENTIFICATION OF THE T-CELL ANTIGEN RECE PTOR V-BETA GENE-PRODUCTS IN LABIAL SALIVARY-GLANDS FROM PATIENTS WITH PRIMARY SJOGRENS-SYNDROME

T lymphocytes are predominantly involved in the development of Sjogren 's syndrome. Their repertoire has recently been claimed to be restrict ed, Analysis of T cell receptor V beta gene products within the labial salivary glands led us to identify V beta 2 and V beta 8. This study, using a new panel of anti-V beta product monoclonal antibodies and a tissue triple-staining technique, examined the distribution of V beta gene family products in activated as well as non-activated CD4+ or CD8 + T cells subsets in the salivary gland tissue of SS patients. Our res ults suggest that the V beta genes used by the T CD4+ or T CD8+ cells in situ are similar, irrespective of the activation status of these ce lls. T lymphocytes homing into exocrine tissues might thus be selected on the basis of their V beta repertoire rather than their activation state.