The maintenance mechanisms of peripheral tolerance by CD4(+)CD25(+) T cells before the development of sialoadenitis in secondary Sjögren's syndrome (sSS) are not well understood. The aim of the present study is to examine the effect of reduction of CD4(+)CD25(+) T cells on the development of sialoadenitis during the early life in female NZB x NZWF(1) (B/WF(1)) mice, a model for human sSS.
Female B/WF(1) mice at 3 days after birth were treated with either anti-mouse CD4(+)CD25(+) T cells rat IgG(1) monoclonal antibody (mAb) or Rat IgG(1)(control). At 25 weeks of age, autoantibodies against nucleus and cytoplasm of ductal epithelial and myoepithelial cells, and histpathology of submandibular glands were examined in the mAb-treated and control groups. Also the development of anti-Ro/SS-A antibodies was examined until 25 weeks of age in both groups.
The mAb-treated group showed severe lesions with the development of autoantibodies compared to the control group.
The present results suggest that peripheral CD4(+)CD25(+) T cells may, at least in part, contribute to down-regulate the development of sialoadenitis in submandibular glands of lupus-prone female B/WF(1) mice during their early life.