Clinicopathological correlation between focus score and frequency of germinal centres in the lymphocytic infiltrates in Sjogren's Syndrome

• Grant number: 16/14636-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: October 01, 2016
• End date: September 30, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Pathological Anatomy and Clinical Pathology
• Principal Investigator: Jorge Esquiche León
• Grantee: Karen Cristine Bortoletto
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Odontologia de Ribeirão Preto (FORP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is a chronic autoimmune disease that mainly affects the salivary and lacrimal glands, causing xerostomia (dry mouth) and xerophthalmia (dry eyes). It is estimated that 0.5% of the population is affected by SS, most women (ratio 9:1). The dentist has great importance in the diagnosis, since many oral manifestations are related to the disease, such as xerostomia, candidiasis, tooth decay, taste changes and atrophy of lingual papillae. Treatment is symptomatic, including the use of artificial tears and saliva. Notably, the histopathologic diagnosis of minor salivary glands (MSGs) (showing focal lymphocytic sialadenitis [FLS] with focus score [FS] equal or greater than 1) is an important diagnostic criteria to define SS. In the FLS, it can be detected ectopic germinal centers (GCs), which have been related to an increased risk of developing MALT lymphoma and serologic changes. Besides the morphological analysis, the CD10, CD23 and Bcl-6 immunomarkers can efficiently detect GCs, including those in initial stages of formation (difficult to observe on the morphological analysis). There are no studies in the Brazilian population that show the prevalence of CGs in correlation with FS, in the SS. Studies of this nature represent a valuable opportunity to identify the profile of patients at risk for developing MALT lymphoma, the most common malignant lymphoid neoplasm in SS. Thus, the purpose of the current project is to study the frequency of GCs, in correlation with FS, assessing biopsies of MSGs (n= 50) in the SS, through both morphological and immunohistochemical analyses (using CD10, CD23 and Bcl-6 markers).

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

SILVA, EVANIO VILELA; DE ANDRADE, BRUNO AUGUSTO BENEVENUTO; SILVEIRA, HEITOR ALBERGONI; ROCHA, EDUARDO MELANI; CHAHUD, FERNANDO; BRUNALDI, MARIANGELA OTTOBONI; BUFALINO, ANDREIA; LEON, JORGE ESQUICHE. Characterization of ectopic germinal centers in Sjogren's syndrome (SS) and non-SS non-sicca patients. ORAL DISEASES, v. N/A, p. 5-pg., 2023-08-11. (16/14636-2, 15/22586-2, 16/11419-0, 22/12760-9)

SILVA, EVANIO VILELA; ALMEIDA, LUCIANA YAMAMOTO; BORTOLETTO, KAREN CRISTINE; QUERO, ISABELA BARBOSA; JACOMINI, FERNANDA CAROLINA; BENEVENUTO DE ANDRADE, BRUNO AUGUSTO; SILVEIRA, HEITOR ALBERGONI; DUARTE, ANDRESSA; PETEAN, FLAVIO CALIL; ROCHA, EDUARDO MELANI; et al. Focal lymphocytic sialadenitis and ectopic germinal centers in oral reactive lesions and primary Sjogren's syndrome: a comparative study. RHEUMATOLOGY INTERNATIONAL, JUL 2021. (16/02713-2, 16/14636-2, 18/12734-2, 16/11419-0)