Association of Anticentromere Antibodies With More Severe Exocrine Glandular Dysfunction in Sjögren's Syndrome: Analysis of the Sjögren's International Collaborative Clinical Alliance Cohort.

Anticentromere antibodies (ACAs) define a subset of primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS) with a unique phenotype, including features of limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis and a lower frequency of anti-SSA/SSB antibodies. We sought to determine whether ACAs are associated with more severe exocrine glandular dysfunction in a large cohort of primary SS subjects. We performed a cross-sectional analysis of 1,361 subjects with primary SS from the Sjögren's International Collaborative Clinical Alliance Registry, stratified by the presence or absence of ACAs. ACAs were assayed by immunofluorescence staining on HEp-2 cells. ACAs were present in 82 of the 1,361 SS subjects (6%) and were associated with older age, female sex, and lower frequencies of anti-SSA/SSB, rheumatoid factor, and hyperglobulinemia. Among ACA-positive versus ACA-negative subjects, there was a higher frequency of a focus score ≥2 (71% versus 53%; P = 0.002), a higher median focus score (2.8 versus 2.5; P = 0.0440), and greater exocrine gland dysfunction: Schirmer's test value: median 4 versus 5 mm/5 minutes; P = 0.0003, and unstimulated whole saliva (UWS) flow rate: median 0.08 versus 0.37 ml/5 minutes; P < 0.0001. ACA-positive subjects had an increased risk of UWS <0.1 ml/minute (odds ratio [OR] 12.24 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 4.91-41.02]) and Schirmer's test value <5 mm/5 minutes (OR 2.52 [95% CI 1.50-4.36]) after correcting for age, sex, anti-SSA/SSB, and focus score. Labial gland fibrosis was not different between the 2 groups. In a large international registry of SS, ACA had an independent association with more severe exocrine glandular dysfunction. This dysfunction was associated with more pronounced labial salivary glandular inflammation but not fibrosis.

Baer AN ，Medrano L ，McAdams-DeMarco M ，Gniadek TJ ... -  《-》

Lower frequency of focal lip sialadenitis (focus score) in smoking patients. Can tobacco diminish the salivary gland involvement as judged by histological examination and anti-SSA/Ro and anti-SSB/La antibodies in Sjögren's syndrome?

Manthorpe R ，Benoni C ，Jacobsson L ，Kirtava Z ，Larsson A ，Liedholm R ，Nyhagen C ，Tabery H ，Theander E ... -  《-》

Overlap of ACA-positive systemic sclerosis and Sjögren's syndrome: a distinct clinical entity with mild organ involvement but at high risk of lymphoma.

Baldini C ，Mosca M ，Della Rossa A ，Pepe P ，Notarstefano C ，Ferro F ，Luciano N ，Talarico R ，Tani C ，Tavoni AG ，Bombardieri S ... -  《-》

[Importance of salivary gland focus score in the diagnosis of Sjögren's syndrome].

Fei YY ，Li XM ，Lin DF ，Li MT ，Zhang W ，Zhang X ，Zhao Y ，Zeng XF ，Zhang FC ... -  《-》

Th1 and Th2 polymorphisms in Sjögren's syndrome and rheumatoid arthritis.

Sjogren's syndrome is characterized by T-cell infiltration of exocrine glands leading to parenchymal destruction and impaired glandular function. This process is orchestrated by cytokines, whose secretion can be regulated by genetic polymorphisms. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of interleukin-6 -174G/C, interleukin-10 -1082G/A, tumor necrosis factor-α -308G/A, interferon-γ +874A/T gene polymorphisms in (RA) and secondary Sjögren's syndrome (sSS). A study sample that comprised of 138 Brazilian patients was divided into three groups: RA (n = 66), sSS (n = 20), and healthy controls - C (n = 52). Patients were subjected to Schirmer's test, unstimulated salivary flow rate, biopsy of minor salivary glands, and serological tests for diagnosing SS. Genomic DNA was obtained from saliva samples and submitted to genotyping. The association between genotypes/alelle frequency and SS susceptibility was tested, as well as their association with clinical features of SS. Tumor necrosis factorα (TNFα)-308GA polymorphisms differed significantly between AR, SS, and C patients (P = 0.008). IL-6 overall G carriers and TNFα A carriers had a higher risk of presenting SS (P = 0.021). IL-6 polymorphism distribution was also distinctive regarding lymphocytic infiltration at the minor salivary glands (P = 0.026) and Schirmer's test (P = 0.035). These results suggest that IL-6 -174GC and TNFα-308GA gene polymorphisms are associated with susceptibility to SS. Additionally, IL-6 polymorphism could influence lymphocytic infiltration of salivary glands and diminish lachrymal gland function.

de Souza TR ，de Albuquerque Tavares Carvalho A ，Duarte ÂP ，Porter SR ，Leão JC ，Gueiros LA ... -  《-》