Abstract
Sjögren's syndrome is a chronic autoimmune disorder characterized by progressive lymphocytic infiltration within the salivary and lacrimal glands. This study was undertaken to investigate the effects of innate immunity activation on sialoadenitis in a mouse strain genetically susceptible for development of SS-like disease. Methods: Female New Zealand Black X New Zealand White F1 mice were repeatedly treated with toll-like 3 receptor agonist poly(I:C). Submandibular glands were investigated at different time points for sialoadenitis by immunohistochemistry and for gene expression of different chemokines by quantitative PCR. Submandibular gland-infiltrating cells were characterized by flow cytometry. Results: Poly(I:C) treatment significantly upregulated the expression of multiple chemokines within the submandibular glands. The severity and incidence of sialoadenitis was considerably higher in poly(I:C)-treated mice. There was a preponderance of dendritic cells and NK cells in the initial inflammatory cell infiltrates, and these were followed by CD4+ T cells. Conclusions: Our data clearly demonstrate that systemic activation of innate immunity accelerates sialoadenitis in a mouse model for SS-like disease. These findings suggest that chronic activation of innate immunity can influence certain features of SS.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 801-807 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Oral Diseases |
Volume | 17 |
Issue number | 8 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Nov 2011 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Innate immunity
- Mouse
- Sialoadenitis
- Sjögren's syndrome