HLA system and autoantibodies in primary Sjögren's syndrome

The primary Sjögren's syndrome is an autoimmune exocrinopathy in which is established a correlation between the production of antibodies and certain HLA determinants. A significant number of antigens from A, B, C, DR and DQ loci was investigated in 50 patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome with positive autoantibodies against dsDNA, ssDNA, Ro (SS-A), La (SS-B), RNP antigens, as well as with higher titer of anticardiolipin antibodies from IgM and IgG classes. The HLA antigens were investigated by a microlimphocytotoxic test and a prolonged test, while the autoantibodies by an indirect immunofluorescency, counter electrophoresis and ELISA. A significant correlation was established between HLA-A1 and HLA-DR3 and the anti-Ro, anti-La, anti-DNA and anti-RNP antibodies, as well as between the higher titer of JgM and JgG anticardiolipins and the HLA-A1, B8 and DR3 antigens. No association was found between the specific for the disease anti-Ro and anti-La autoantibodies and certain genetic markers. The achieved results confirm the hypothesis that the autoantibodies' production in primary Sjören's syndrome is to a certain extent genetically determined. (Tab. 1, Ref. 5.)