Ro/SS-A-reactive B lymphocytes in salivary glands and peripheral blood of patients with Sjogren's syndrome

The aim of this study was to investigate the production of anti-Ro/SS-A ant ibodies in labial salivary glands (LSG) and peripheral blood (PB) of Sjogre n's syndrome (SS) patients. The ELISPOT method was performed to quantify th e frequency of LSG lymphocytes and PB lymphocytes spontaneously secreting a nti-Ro/SS-A antibodies. The total number of IgG-, IgA- and IgM-producing ce lls was also quantified. The bovine Ro 60-kD protein was used as target ant igen. Six of six primary SS patients had LSG B cells producing anti-bovine Ro 60 kD of the IgG isotype, and two of two primary SS patients had in addi tion PB lymphocytes producing anti-bovine Ro 60 kD of the IgG isotype. The six patients who had IgG antibodies against the Ro/SS-A antigen in LSG all had focus scores of greater than or equal to 7 in biopsies of LSG. The resu lts indicate that SS patients with a high degree of local inflammation in L SG have B cells producing anti-Ro/SS-A antibodies in both LSG and PB. Thus, the anti-Ro/SS-A antibodies may have pathogenic importance in the progress ion of the exocrinopathy of SS.