Elevated Salivary and Synovial Fluid β ₂ -Microglobulin in Sjogren's Syndrome and Rheumatoid Arthritis

Abstract

Beta2-Microglobulin is normally present in low concentrations in serum and other bodily fluids. By use of a radioimmunoassay, elevated concentrations of beta2--microglobulin were found in saliva and synovial fluid from patients with Sjogren's syndrome and rheumatoid arthritis, autoimmune inflammatory diseases that attack and destroy the salivary glands and articular tissues, respectively. Elevated beta2-microglobulin concentrations decreased in the saliva of two patients who simultaneously showed a clinical response to systemic treatment. Measurement of beta2-microglobulin in inflammatory fluids may offer a simple method of quantifying local activity in autoimmune states.

Labial salivary gland biopsy in sjögren's syndrome

“…The amount of Pz-microglobulin in parotid saliva increases in SS (25), and this increase correlates with increasing LSG biopsy focus scores (26). A marked increase in sodium ion concentration was observed in both stimulated parotid (27) and unstimulated whole (24) saliva from patients with SS, but in another study it was increased in unstimulated but decreased in stimulated parotid saliva (28).…”

Serum ß2-Microglobulin Concentration Correlates with Urinary Concentrations of Type 1 Collagen Cross-Linked N-Telopeptides and Deoxypyridinoline in Rheumatoid Arthritis

“…[9][10][11]13 Since ß 2 -microglobulin is produced by lymphocytes whose number is increased in rheumatoid arthritis, the reason for the elevated serum ß 2 -microglobulin concentration in active rheumatoid arthritis is obvious.…”

Behaviour of Serum β2-Microglobulin and Acute Phase Reactant Proteins in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia

“…This hy pothesis would then bring together the ob served disturbances of /32-m production that are found in CLL, malignant lympho mas and multiple myeloma, where the com mon phenomenon could be the activity of a particular subset of the lymphocytes. Such a possibility has been suggested to account for raised serum /32-m in diseases such as rheu matoid disease, cirrhosis and Crohn's dis ease [19].…”