Epstein-Barr Virus in the Sublabial Salivary Gland in Sjogren’s Syndrome

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Abstract
The proposed role of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in salivary gland destruction in Sjogren’s syndrome (SS) prompted the authors to study the presence of EBV-DNA (hybridohistochemistry) and EBV-encoded proteins (immunohistochemistry) in sublabial salivary glands taken from eight patients with primary and five with secondary SS and from 16 controls. DNA probes and anti-EBV antibodies were controlled for activity by assessment of human blood B-lymphocytes after in vitro infection with EBV. None of the tissues investigated manifested the presence of EBV proteins (nuclear antigen, early antigen R, membrane antigen, or viral capsid antigen). The salivary gland biopsies of four patients with primary SS and two with secondary SS showed EBV-DNA in epithelial cells of acini and ducts but not in other components. The authors data contrast with those of Fox and colleagues (J Immunol 1986;137:3162–3168), who reported that about half of the patients with SS have EBV early antigen D in epithelium of the sublabial salivary gland. The authors conclude that an active EBV infection associated with EBV protein synthesis does not occur in the diseased salivary gland of patients with SS, but the presence of EBV-DNA in the glands does not exclude a possible role of EBV in the disorder.\