Expression profile of genes regulating cellular response to cytokine stimulus in Sjögren’s syndrome

The existence of abnormal cytokine profile in Sjögren’s syndrome (SS) may contribute to find potential SS biomarkers and accompanying comorbidities. We aimed to investigate and compare gene expressions in the labial salivary glands of SS and of healthy subjects (HS) by means of microarray analysis. The study group comprised 8 SS patients and 8 HS in microarray analysis. The relative gene expression changes were validated with real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction in 25 SS and 20 HS. Among the differently expressed genes belonging to the “cellular response to cytokine stimulus”, “cytokine-mediated signaling pathway” and “innate immune response” ontology groups with a fold change >1.5 and with a p value < 0.05, the adiponectin, C1Q and collagen domain containing (ADIPOQ), S100 calcium binding protein A9 (S100A9), leptin receptor (LEPR), and fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4) gene expressions in SS group were higher than in HS. Increased expression of the assessed genes are determined by the presence of SS and the accompanying inflammation and may be a valuable diagnostic biomarker of SS. Their selected systemic effects may suggest their role as potential prognostic biomarkers of the risk of accelerated atherosclerosis and cardiovascular complications in SS.