We have recently demonstrated that the rheumatoid arthritis (RA) shared epitope (SE) acts as a ligand that triggers nitric oxide (NO) signaling in opposite cells. Given the known pro-oxidative effect of NO and the proposed role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of RA, this study explores whether SE-triggered signaling can increase cellular oxidative stress. cAMP levels, adenylyl cyclase activity, and protein kinase A activity were measured using commercial kits. Generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was quantified using the fluorochrome dichlorofluorescein diacetate. Oxidative DNA damage was quantified using the single-cell electrophoresis technique. Here, we report that cells e…

Role of salivary anti-SSA/B antibodies for diagnosing primary Sjögren’s syndrome

The diagnosis of primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS) is complex, and the saliva test is a potential method to improve the existing diagnostic criteria. Objective: To estimate the diagnostic accuracy of salivary anti-SSA/B antibodies in primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS), and to analyze their correlations with clinical and laboratory profiles. Study Design: This study enrolled 100 pSS patients and 140 non-pSS controls, including 40 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, 40 systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients, and 60 healthy controls. Unstimulated whole saliva and stimulated parotid saliva samples were collected from the subjects. Salivary anti-SSA/B antibodies were measured using an enzyme-l…