To investigate the correlation between epidermal growth factor (EFG) and atrophic glossitis (AG) in patients with Sjoigren's syndromes (SS) and explore its pathogenesis.
Ninety-three patients with SS (60 with AG and 33 without AG) and 20 normal were selected. The concentrations of EGF in saliva were analyzed by ELISA. The expressions of EGF receptor (EGFR) in the epithelial cells of the tongue were assayed by immunohistochemistry. The differences among each group were analyzed with SPSS19.0 software package.
The saliva EGF concentrations in SS was lower than that in normal control group(P<0.0001),and EGF concentrations in SS with AG was significantly lower than that in SS without AG (P=0.024). EGF levels in saliva gradually decreased in the mild, moderate and severe atrophic glossitis groups, and there were significant differences among each group(P<0.05). EGFR in the epithelial cells of tongue was lower in SS with moderate and severe AG than in the control group(P=0.009, P=0.037), and there was a significant correlation between EGF and the degree of AG (r=-0.673, P<0.01).
Saliva EGF concentrations decrease significantly in patients with SS and it is closely related to the morbidity of atrophic glossitis.