Gene expression in salivary glands of Sjögren´s syndrome

Hierarchical clustering of data from the microarray analysis of gene expression in minor salivary glands from patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS; Pat 1-10) and from healthy control subjects (Ctrl 1-10). Samples with similar patterns of expression of the genes studied will cluster together, as indicated by the dendrogram. The hierarchical clustering of the 200 genes that were most differentially expressed in the primary SS patients versus the healthy controls is illustrated. Red indicates higher expression of the gene in patient and control samples compared with the reference (up-regulated), and green indicates lower expression of the gene compared with the reference (down-regulation).Arthritis Rheum 2005; Vol.52, 5 Pages: 1534-1544.

The aim of this study was to identify genes that were differentially expressed in the salivary glands of patients with primary Sjögren´s syndrome compared to healthy controls, as well as in an experimental Sjögren´s syndrome mouse model, in order to elicit the genes involved and the pathways activated in the salivary glands of both human and mice with a Sjögren syndrome like disease. Furthermore, a mapping of the salivary gland proteome and identification of differentially expressed proteins in the salivary glands of primary Sjögren´s syndrome was conducted.

Interestingly, a distinct difference in gene expression levels of the minor salivary glands were found, enabling a simple class prediction method to correctly classify19 of 20 samples as either patient or control, based on the top 5 differentially expressed genes.

Collaborators:
Professor Anne Isine Bolstad, Department of Clinical Dentistry - Periodontics
Professor Roland Jonsson, Broegelmanns Research Laboratory, The Gade Institute,
Trond Ove R. Hjelmervik, PhD

http://www.uib.no/personer/Anne.Bolstad
http://www.uib.no/personer/Roland.Jonsson
http://www.uib.no/Broegelmann/