Co-culture system of human salivary gland epithelial cells and immune cells from primary Sjogren's syndrome patients: an in vitro approach to study the effects of Rituximab on the activation of the Raf-1/ERK1/2 pathway

This study delineates the signaling pathway involved in RTX-mediated down-regulation of pro-inflammatory factors in a co-culture system of pSS salivary gland epithelial cells (SGEC) with syngeneic pSS B-lymphocytes. In addition, the effects of RTX on the activation of the Raf-1/ERK1/2 pathway in pSS SGEC co-cultured with syngeneic pSS T-lymphocytes were also investigated. This study demonstrated that RTX may interfere with the ERK1/2 pathway in a syngeneic co-culture of pSS SGEC with pSS B-lymphocytes, leading to decreased cytokine production by SGEC. These novel findings reveal that syngeneic co-culture of pSS SGEC with pSS B-lymphocytes leads to a down-regulation of Raf-1 in epithelial cells that adversely regulates the activity of the ERK1/2 pathway and determines a subsequent reduction of the release of pro-inflammatory factors.

Source: International Immunology - March 23, 2015 Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: Lisi, S., Sisto, M., D'Amore, M., Lofrumento, D. D. Tags: Original Research Source Type: research