MHC CLASS II ANTIGENS IN THE PATHOGENESIS OF INFLAMMATORY DISEASES

MHC II类抗原，人类的HLA-DR和小鼠的Ia， 膜结合糖蛋白是由主要的 组织相容性复合体 这些抗原的表达具有重要意义。 对免疫系统的启动和延续具有重要的功能意义， 应答 在许多免疫病理条件下，HLA-DR抗原 刺激阴性细胞表达II类抗原。 在这些情况下 已经假定II类抗原表达具有免疫学作用。 在过去的一年里，我们已经确定了II类抗原是否表达 在某些疾病中，我们已经评估了它们在自身免疫性疾病中的可能作用， 和炎症性疾病。 最初的研究发现， 前节和视网膜中表达II类的细胞（rpe细胞） 炎症性眼部疾病中的抗原。 这些研究 扩展到评估干燥综合征。 我们发现唾液腺 在干燥综合征中，主要由T淋巴细胞浸润， 这与腺上皮细胞上的II类抗原表达有关， 上皮细胞 这些研究表明，在局部自身免疫性疾病中， 疾病提供的证据表明，这些抗原的激活可能 有助于这些疾病的免疫发病机制。

MHC class II antigens, HLA-DR in the human and Ia in the mouse, are membrane bound glycoproteins that are encoded by genes of the major histocompatibility complex. Expression of these antigens is of great functional importance for the initiation and perpetuation of immune responses. In a number of immunopathologic conditions HLA-DR antigen negative cells are stimulated to express class II antigens. In these cases an immunologic role has been postulated for the class II antigen expression. During the past year, we have determined if class II antigens are expressed in certain diseases and we have evaluated their possible role in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Initial studies identified cells in the anterior segment and cells in the retina (rpe cell) which express class II antigens during inflammatory eye diseases. These studies have been extended to evaluate Sjogren's syndrome. We found that the salivary gland in Sjogren's syndrome is infiltrated predominantly by T-lymphocytes and that this is associated with class II antigen expression on glandular eptithelial cells. These studies on MHC class II antigen expression in localized autoimmune diseases provide evidence that the activation of these antigens may contribute to the immunopathogenesis of these diseases.