IgA-Expressing Cells at the Human Ocular Surface and Reduced Tear IgA2 Abundance in Schirmer Strip Extracts from Patients with Dry Eye Disease and Primary Sjögren’s Syndrome
4 affiliations
- 1Functional and Clinical Anatomy, Institute of Anatomy, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
- 2Department of Ophthalmology, Medical University of Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria
- 3Department of Translational Immunology, Department of Medicine 3—Rheumatology and Immunology, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Center for Molecular Medicine, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and Uniklinikum Erlangen, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
- 4Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and Uniklinikum Erlangen, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
Abstract
This study investigated the distribution of IgA-expressing cells in human ocular tissues and IgA subclass profiles in Schirmer strip extracts from patients with dry eye disease (DED) and primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS). Immunofluorescence staining was performed on paraffin-embedded lacrimal gland, conjunctival, and corneal tissues from body donors. Independently, Schirmer strip extracts from healthy controls (n = 18), patients with DED (n = 75), and patients with pSS (n = 10) were analyzed. Total protein concentrations were determined using a bicinchoninic acid assay, while total IgA, IgA1, and IgA2 were quantified by ELISA and normalized to total protein. CD38+ and CD38− IgA-expressing cells were detected in the lacrimal gland and conjunctival stroma, with IgA1-expressing cells predominating over IgA2-expressing cells. No IgA-positive cells were detected in the examined corneal sections. Total protein concentrations were lower in pSS than in DED. Normalized IgA2 abundance was reduced in both DED and pSS compared with controls, while normalized total IgA was additionally reduced in pSS. Unnormalized extract concentrations showed broadly similar patterns. These independent findings demonstrate differences in recovered IgA subclass profiles, although differences in collection materials and patient characteristics preclude attributing these alterations exclusively to the underlying diseases.
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BibTeX
@article{schellekens2026igaexpressing,
title = {{IgA-Expressing Cells at the Human Ocular Surface and Reduced Tear IgA2 Abundance in Schirmer Strip Extracts from Patients with Dry Eye Disease and Primary Sjögren’s Syndrome}},
author = {Nils Schellekens and Jutta Horwath-Winter and Sophia Bittner and Wolfgang Schuh and Katharina Jüngert and Ingrid Zahn and Martin Schicht and Friedrich Paulsen},
journal = {Cells},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3390/cells15211971},
url = {https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/15/21/1971},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - IgA-Expressing Cells at the Human Ocular Surface and Reduced Tear IgA2 Abundance in Schirmer Strip Extracts from Patients with Dry Eye Disease and Primary Sjögren’s Syndrome
AU - Nils Schellekens
AU - Jutta Horwath-Winter
AU - Sophia Bittner
AU - Wolfgang Schuh
AU - Katharina Jüngert
AU - Ingrid Zahn
AU - Martin Schicht
AU - Friedrich Paulsen
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/29
JO - Cells
DO - 10.3390/cells15211971
UR - https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/15/21/1971
AB - This study investigated the distribution of IgA-expressing cells in human ocular tissues and IgA subclass profiles in Schirmer strip extracts from patients with dry eye disease (DED) and primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS). Immunofluorescence staining was performed on paraffin-embedded lacrimal gland, conjunctival, and corneal tissues from body donors. Independently, Schirmer strip extracts from healthy controls (n = 18), patients with DED (n = 75), and patients with pSS (n = 10) were analyzed. Total protein concentrations were determined using a bicinchoninic acid assay, while total IgA, IgA1, and IgA2 were quantified by ELISA and normalized to total protein. CD38+ and CD38− IgA-expressing cells were detected in the lacrimal gland and conjunctival stroma, with IgA1-expressing cells predominating over IgA2-expressing cells. No IgA-positive cells were detected in the examined corneal sections. Total protein concentrations were lower in pSS than in DED. Normalized IgA2 abundance was reduced in both DED and pSS compared with controls, while normalized total IgA was additionally reduced in pSS. Unnormalized extract concentrations showed broadly similar patterns. These independent findings demonstrate differences in recovered IgA subclass profiles, although differences in collection materials and patient characteristics preclude attributing these alterations exclusively to the underlying diseases.
SN - 2073-4409
ER -