The interaction of monocytes from Sjogren Syndrome patients with human salivary gland epithelial cells promotes inflammatory microenvironment modulated by VIP

V. HAUK; L. FRACCAROLI; E. GRASSO; A. EIMON; R. RAMHORST; O. HUBSCHER; C. PÉREZ LEIRÓS

Milan

Congreso; 15th International Congress of Immunology; 2013

Suppressant phagocytosis by macrophages is central for tissue homeostasis maintenance. Sjögren syndrome (pSS) is an autoimmune disease characterized by progressive oral and ocular dryness with high impact in healthcare. Aberrant expression of inflammatory mediators in glandular epithelium and epithelial cell apoptosis were proposed as early events in pSS pathogenesis. Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide (VIP) is a pleiotropic, secretory and vasodilator neuropeptide with immunomodulatory effects through VPAC1/VPAC2 receptors on immune cells. Our goal was to study the role of VIP / VPAC system in the interaction of monocytes from pSS patients with a human salivary gland epithelial cell line. Monocytes were isolated from peripheral blood of women with pSS (Vitali C et al. 2002) (n:34) and age-matched healthy women as the control group (n:16). Mononuclear cells were analyzed by flow cytometry and RT-qPCR for phagocytosis, cytokines, chemokines and VIP receptor expression before or after coculture with a human salivary gland cell line (HSG). pSS monocytes showed an inflammatory profile with an increased expression of VPAC2 (absent in healthy volunteers) and IL-12 expression after coculture prevented by VIP. A decreased phagocytosis of apoptotic cells was observed by pSS monocytes (pSS 23,93%±4,42 vs control 11,61%±1,52 p