Project description:Sjögren's disease (SjD) is an autoimmune disease marked by lymphocytic infiltration of salivary and lacrimal glands, leading to glandular dysfunction, where CD4-positive helper T (Th) cells and their cytokines are crucial in the pathogenesis. Recent studies have demonstrated that Toll-like receptors (TLRs), particularly those recognizing immune complexes containing DNA and RNA, contribute to Th cell activation in various autoimmune diseases. This study explores the expression and function of these TLRs in SjD. In scRNA-seq analysis, the TLR8-expressing cluster comprised macrophages and monocytes, which also produced T cell activation genes like CD86, suggesting that infiltrating monocytes and macrophages may produce cytokines and chemokines through TLR8 stimulation, potentially enhancing B7 molecule expression, promoting the adaptive immune response, and contributing to SjD pathogenesis.
Project description:Investigating differential gene expression between clinical phenotypes in primary Sjögren's Syndrome using matched healthy controls as a further comparator group. Samples are derived from the UK Primary Sjögren's Syndrome Registry (UKPSSR)
Project description:A causal mediation analysis of DNA methylation as a mediator of nearby genetic association with Sjögren's syndrome using data collected from 131 female members of the Sjögren's International Collaborative Clinical Alliance registry, comprising of 64 Sjögren's syndrome cases and 67 non-cases.
Project description:Sjögren's syndrome is an autoimmune disease manifesting primarily as dryness of eyes and mouth. In this study, we compared gene expression in PBMCs between age- and gender-matched patients with Sjögren's syndrome (diagnosed by ACR criteria) and healthy controls. Cells were collected in heparinized tubes and PBMCs were prepared using Ficoll.
Project description:Genome wide DNA methylation profiling of human labial salivary gland (LSG) biopsy samples obtained from 28 female members of the Sjögren's International Collaborative Clinical Alliance (SICCA) Registry. The Illumina HumanMethylation450 BeadChip platform was used to obtain DNA methylation profiles across more than 450,000 highly informative CpG sites. Samples included 15 non-case glands, and 13 glands from patients with Sjögren's Syndrome.
Project description:BackgroundSjögren's disease (SjD) is an autoimmune disease marked by lymphocytic infiltration of salivary and lacrimal glands, leading to glandular dysfunction, where CD4-positive helper T (Th) cells and their cytokines are crucial in the pathogenesis. Recent studies have demonstrated that Toll-like receptors (TLRs), particularly those recognizing immune complexes containing DNA and RNA, contribute to Th cell activation in various autoimmune diseases. This study explores the expression and function of these TLRs in SjD.MethodsDNA microarray analysis of salivary gland tissue from six SjD patients and real-time PCR (n = 32) was used to identify overexpressed TLRs. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) was performed using tissue lesions and integrated with published scRNA-seq data from tissues and peripheral blood mononuclear cells to examine gene expression in macrophages and monocytes. Finally, multi-color immunofluorescence staining was conducted to confirm TLR8 expression and function in SjD lesions (n = 19).ResultsDNA microarray analysis revealed the up-regulation of TLR8, along with other TLRs and innate immune response genes in SjD. Real-time PCR showed significant up-regulation of TLR7 and TLR8. TLR8 up-regulated in both analyses. In scRNA-seq analysis, the TLR8-expressing cluster comprised macrophages and monocytes, which also produced T cell activation genes like CD86. TLR8-positive macrophages infiltrated inflammatory sites and frequently expressed CD86 in quantitative imaging approaches.ConclusionsThese results suggest that infiltrating monocytes and macrophages may produce cytokines and chemokines through TLR8 stimulation, potentially enhancing B7 molecule expression, promoting the adaptive immune response, and contributing to SjD pathogenesis.
Project description:To elucidate gene expression signatures of liver induced by Sjögren's syndrome, we have employed whole genome microarray expression profiling as a discovery platform.