Abstract
The following results suggest that EBV might be involved in the mechanism of polyclonal B-cell activation of Sjögren's syndrome (SS). (1) The levels of serum anti-VCA antibodies of both IgG and IgM class were significantly elevated in SS. (2) Excretion of EBV from the oropharynx was frequently observed in SS. (3) Spontaneously transformed B-cell lines producing a large amount of transforming EBV were established preferentially from SS. (4) An EBV-specific regulatory mechanism was impaired in SS.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Adult
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Antibodies, Viral / immunology*
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Antigens, Viral / immunology
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Autoimmune Diseases / complications*
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Autoimmune Diseases / immunology
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B-Lymphocytes / immunology*
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B-Lymphocytes / pathology
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Capsid Proteins*
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Cell Transformation, Viral
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Female
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Herpesviridae Infections / complications*
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Herpesviridae Infections / immunology
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Herpesvirus 4, Human / immunology*
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Herpesvirus 4, Human / isolation & purification
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Humans
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Lymphocyte Activation
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Middle Aged
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Oropharynx / microbiology
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Sjogren's Syndrome / complications*
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Sjogren's Syndrome / immunology
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Sjogren's Syndrome / microbiology
Substances
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Antibodies, Viral
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Antigens, Viral
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Capsid Proteins
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Epstein-Barr viral capsid antigen