To investigate the expression of chemokine RANTES (regulated upon activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted) and macrophage inflammatory protein 1alpha (MIP-1alpha) in the labial glands of patients with Sjogren's syndrome (SS) and discuss their involvement in SS etiopathology.
Immunohistochemistry was used to examine the expression of RANTES and MIP-1alpha in the specimens of labial gland of 14 cases of primary SS, 7 cases of secondary SS (sSS), and 8 cases of controls, including maxillofacial injury and lip cyst.
The expression rate of RANTES was 86% (12/14) in the pSS group and 71% (10/14) in the sSS group, and was 0 in the control group (P < 0.01). The expression rate of MIP-1alpha was 86% (5/7) in the pSS group, 71% (5/7) in the sSS group, and 25% (2/8) in the control group (P > 0.05). The RANTES and MIP-1alpha were expressed in the cytoplasm of ductal epithelium and part of infiltrated lymphocytes. The positive expression of RANTES was more evident than that of MIP-1alpha.
RANTES and MIP-1alpha may attract the circulating lymphocytes towards inflammation site of labial gland so as play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of SS etiopathology.