Alterations of CD8+ T cells in the blood and salivary glands of patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome.

Hongxia Li, Yaxin Zhou, Pengyu Wang, Yafei Wang, Yuan Feng, Yan Zhang, Zhenbiao Wu

Clinical rheumatology 2023 May

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To identify the alterations of CD8+ T cells in blood and labial salivary glands (LSGs) of patients with Primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS). Blood samples from 24 pSS patients were assayed for CD38+ HLA-DR+ CD8+ (activated CD8+, aCD8+) T cells and serum IFN-γ and TNF-α, using flow cytometry and ELISA respectively, and compared with samples from 27 healthy controls. Immunohistochemistry was used to count CD8+ T cells in LSG tissues of 24 pSS patients and of 6 control patients with normal pathology. pSS patients had more aCD8+ T cells than aCD4+ T cells (medians 33.13% vs. 9.43%, p < 0.0001), and had an increased level of aCD8+ T cells (medians 33.13% vs. 16.48%, p < 0.0001) and serum IFN-γ (medians 1026 pg/mL vs. 0.00 pg/mL, p < 0.0001) compared to the healthy controls. The levels of aCD8+ T cells and IFN-γ were both significant positively correlated with European League Against Rheumatism Sjögren's Syndrome Disease Activity Index, IgG, anti-nuclear antibodies, rheumatoid factor. The LSGs focus score (FS) ≥1 group had more CD8+ T cell counts than 0≤ FS <1 group and control group (medians 256/mm2 vs. 126/mm2 and 256/mm2 vs. 64/mm2 respectively, both p < 0.05). The aCD8+ T cells and IFN-γ are positively correlated with each other, and predominantly elevated in the blood of pSS patients. In the LSG tissues of pSS, CD8+ T cell counts increase with severity of the lesions. CD8+ T cells may play crucial role in the pathogenesis of pSS. Key Points • Primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) is a chronic and systemic autoimmune disease. pSS patients had elevated blood levels of CD38 + HLA-DR+ CD8+ T cells and IFN-γ. • The CD38 + HLA-DR+ CD8+ T cells positively correlated with disease parameters and serum IFN-γ. • The salivary glands of pSS patients had appreciable CD8 + lymphocyte infiltration. CD8+ T cells may play crucial role in the pathogenesis of pSS. © 2023. The Author(s).

Citation

Hongxia Li, Yaxin Zhou, Pengyu Wang, Yafei Wang, Yuan Feng, Yan Zhang, Zhenbiao Wu. Alterations of CD8+ T cells in the blood and salivary glands of patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome. Clinical rheumatology. 2023 May;42(5):1327-1338