Application of imaging mass cytometry for spatially profiling the microenvironment of salivary glands in primary Sjögren’s syndrome

• DOI: 10.1038/s41419-025-07717-7
• Publication Date: 2025-05-16T15:21:55Z
• Authors: Guolin Wu; Fangping Wu; Lipei Wang; Lixiong Ying; Wenwen Lu; Kang Qian; Tianxiao Fu; Danbin Wu; Fenglin Hu; YiHang Shi; Li Xu
• Keywords: Mass cytometry; Cytometry

Primary Sjogren's syndrome (pSS) is a slowly progressive, systemic autoimmune disorder characterized by gradual lymphocytic infiltration of exocrine glands. However, the spatially profiling immune microenvironment in pSS largely unclear, limiting understanding complex interplay among cells within microenvironment. Based on imaging mass cytometry (IMC) analysis clinical samples, we first revealed that labial salivary gland (LSG) comprised epithelial, and stromal cells, epithelial was main cell type LSG. Eight populations were identified, including CD8+ T, CD4+ Treg, B, NK neutrophils, resident macrophages mixed cluster. We found T but not most prominent infiltrates With increase disease activity severity, abundance gradually increased accompanied activation inflammatory response. sc-RNA-seq based GSE272409 dataset confirmed dominated intercellular ligand-receptor interactions. further clustered into five subsets, which CD160+CD8+ subset appeared to present only patients. Further experiments demonstrated CD160 expression associated with an enhanced proinflammatory cytotoxic cytokines IFN-γ, GZMB TNF-α, injury cells. Besides, proportion GZMK+CD8+ Trajectory frequency differentiation during progression pSS. This study provided single profile spatial information for analyzing LSG pSS, could be achieved conventional immunofluorescence immunohistochemistry assays.