To determine whether there were differences in the circulating T lymphocyte subsets or clinical features of patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS) who were positive for different HLA alleles.
Two- and three-color flow cytometry analyses were performed, using a whole blood lysing method.
Patients with SS who had the HLA alleles DRB1*0301, DQA1*0501, and DQB1*0201 had lower levels of circulating V delta 1-positive T cell receptor gamma/delta (TCR gamma/delta) cells and higher levels of circulating CD45RO-positive TCR gamma/delta cells compared with patients with SS who did not have these alleles. The patient subgroup with these alleles also had higher levels of anti-SS-A/Ro and anti-SS-B/La.
These results indicate that patients with primary SS may be immunologically divided into subgroups according to their HLA status. These immunologic changes in SS may also be typical of other autoimmune disorders in patients with the HLA-DR3 haplotype.