Objective: To identify the self-antigens recognized by autoreactive T cells in labial salivary glands from patients with Sjõgren's syndrome (SS).
Methods: T cells lines were established from infiltrating T cells in the labial salivary glands from 6 patients with SS, using interleukin 2 and phytohemagglutinin. Bulk cultured T cells and T cell lines were examined for the proliferative response to recombinant Ro(SSA) 52 kDa and SSB proteins. The usage of T cell receptor (TCR) V beta and V alpha genes from Ro(SSA) 52kDa reactive T cells was analyzed by family polymerase chain reaction. The sequences of complementary determining region 3 of TCR V beta genes were also examined.
Results: Three of 6 bulk cultured T cells and 4 of 16 T cell lines showed a significant proliferative response to Ro(SSA) 52 kDa protein. All T cell lines represented CD4+ alpha beta T cells by flow cytometry analysis. All 4 RO(SSA) 52 kDa reactive T cell lines utilized the V beta 2 gene and 3 lines used the V beta 13 gene, suggesting preferential usage of the V beta 2 and the V beta 13 genes in Ro(SSA) 52 kDa reactive T cells. Junctional sequences of TCR V beta genes from Ro(SSA) 52 kDa reactive T cell lines showed the conserved amino acid sequences in CDR3 region.
Conclusion: These findings support the notion that Ro(SSA) 52 kDa is a possible autoantigen recognized by autoreactive T cells and that limited epitope is present on the Ro(SSA) 52 kDa antigen.