Interleukin-17 Expresses In Salivary Glands And Peripheral Blood Of Patients With Primary Sjogren Syndrome

Objective To investigate the expression of interleukin-17 in salivary gland and peripheral blood of patients with primary sjogren syndrome (pSS).Methods Biopsy specimens of labial gland were collected from the 30 patients and 5 controls. Immunohistochemistry was conducted to detect IL-17 expressed cells (Th-17), CD45RO and CD20 by using monoclonal antibodies. IL-17 levels also were assessed by ELISA in 30 pSS patients and 20 healthy controls.Results Th-17 cell numbers in the salivary glands of pSS patients with small amounts infiltrating lymphocytes were lower than that with large amounts infiltrating lymphocytes (14.90±4.7246 vs 21.30±7.7805, P <0.05). However, the percentage of Th-17 positive cells over the total infiltrating lymphocytes in the salivary glands of pSS patients with small amounts infiltrating lymphocytes was higher than that with the large amounts infiltrating lymphocytes (P <0.05). There was no the expression of IL-17 in controls. The distribution pattern of Th-17 has shown that Th-17 cells are distributed evenly in scatted infiltration of mononuclear cells in the salivary glands of pSS patients with small amounts infiltrating lymphocytes, but only appeared in periphery zone of massive or focal infiltration in the glands of pSS patients with the large amounts infiltrating lymphocytes. The amount of Th-17 positive cell were associated with the disease activity which is assessed by levels of erythrocyte sedimentation rate (r =0.557, P <0.05). There are no significant difference in IL-17 levels of prepheral blood between the patients with pSS and normal controls. Conclusion These results of the study has showed Th-17 expressed in salivary glands of patients with pSS, indicating IL-17 may play an important role in the pathogenesis of salivary gland destruction.