Immunohistochemical analyses of autoimmune sialadenitis in man

The immunoreactivity pattern for different monoclonal antibodies to cytokeratins and to vimentin in epimyoepithelial islands typical for glands of patients with Sjögren's syndrome has been compared with that of normal parotid gland tissue. Two types of epithelial island cells were observed: one had an intermediate filament protein pattern similar to that of ordinary duct epithelial cells of normal parotid gland. The other had an intermediate filament protein pattern typical of myoepithelial and/or basal duct cells in normal glands. Thus, we conclude that the islands are composed of a mixed population of gland cells on the basis of their content of cytokeratins or of cytokeratins and vimentin. These cells might originate from pluripotential reserve cells or from ordinary duct, myoepithelial and/or basal duct cells which may have undergone metaplasia.