Expression of cell adhesion molecules in the salivary and lacrimal glands of Sjogren's syndrome

We attempted to determine whether cell adhesion molecules, including vascular cell adhesion molecule‐1 (VCAM‐1), intercellular adhesion molecule‐1 (ICAM‐1), and E‐selectin (endothelial‐leukocyte adhesion molecule‐1; ELAM‐1), are involved in the lymphoid cell infiltration of the salivary and lacrimal glands in Sjogren's syndrome (SS) patients. Both immunohistochemical analysis and the reverse‐transcripts polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) were used to analyze the expression of VCAM‐1, ICAM‐1, ELAM‐1, very late antigen 4 (VLA‐4 [α4, β1]), lymphocyte function‐associated antigen‐1 (LFA‐1), interferon‐γ (IFN‐γ), tumor necrosis factor (TNF), and interleukin‐1 β (IL‐1β). Immunohistochemical analysis of salivary gland biopsies from SS patients showed a marked expression of VCAM‐1 and ICAM‐1 in the venules surrounded by infiltrated CD4⁺ CD45RO⁺ T cells. E‐selectin was expressed on vascular endothelium with weak intensity. Increased levels of VCAM‐1, ICAM‐1, IFN‐γ, and IL‐1β mRNA were demonstrated by RT‐PCR, whereas E‐selectin mRNA were weakly expressed in SS iacrimal and salivary gland tissues. This is in contrast with strong expression of ELAM‐1 in IL‐1β‐stimulated human umbilical vascular endothelial cells (HUVEC) in vitro. Cytokine‐mediated up‐regulation of VCAM‐1 and ICAM‐1 that facilitates the recruitment of VLA‐4 and LFA‐1 expressing T cells might contribute to lymphoid cell infiltration in the salivary and lacrimal glands in SS. © 1993 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.