Comparison of cytokine profiles associated with IgG4-related disease and primary Sj?gren syndrome
Objective:To investigate the immunoinflammatory characteristics of IgG4-related disease(IgG4-RD)and primary Sjögren syndrome(pSS)at molecular level.Methods:RNA-Seq data were obtained for a number of samples from 17 minor salivary glands(9 from pSS patients and 8 from non-pSS patients as controls),and 7 submandibular glands(4 from IgG4-RD patients and 3 from resected submandibular gland tumors surrounded by meaty,normal tissues as controls),and were analyzed for differentially expressed genes and enriched pathways in the samples of IgG4-RD and pSS origin in order to shed light on the immune-inflammatory features of the two distinct diseases.Results:Despite a significant increase in the expression of tertiary lymphoid structure(TLS)-associated cytokines(e.g.,CXCL13,CCL19,etc.),for the innate immune response characteristic of the involved tissues,more significant fibroblast related cytokines and their receptors were observed in IgG4-RD,whereas macrophage and neutrophil related cytokines and their receptors are more significantly expressed in pSS.In the salivary glands of IgG4-RD involvement,the pattern of enrichment of classical signaling pathways was also different from that of pSS:JAK-STAT signaling pathway and NF-κB signaling pathway were significantly enriched in IgG4-RD,whereas pathways related to cellular chemotaxis were significantly enriched in pSS.Conclusion:Different patterns of molecular and biological processes were observed in the related cytokines at the transcriptional level between IgG4-RD and pSS,which may guide their subsequent mechanistic studies and drug target selection.