AB0165 Rank/rank-ligand interaction regulates pathogenic t cell recruitment in sjögren’s syndrome
Authors: S. Nayar, B.A. Fisher, J. Campos, D.H. Gardner, A. Dumusc, V. Iannizzotto, C. Smith, C.D. Buckley, S.J. Bowman, C.G. Mueller, F. Barone
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2018)

<h3>Background</h3> The RANKL (ligand)-RANK-OPG triad, members of the TNF(R) superfamily, is implicated in lymphoid organ development and bone homeostasis. It has recently been demonstrated that RANK-activated astrocytes release CCL20 and attract T cells to the central nervous system in a model of Multiple Sclerosis and that transgenic RANK expression in the skin promotes aberrant epithelial cell proliferation and is sufficient to induce ectopic formation of tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS). Ductal epithelial cells (SGEs) have been implicated in Sjögren's Syndrome (SS) pathogenesis where they mediate immune recruitment by expression of pro-inflammatory chemokines and support the formation of pre-malignant myoepithelial lesions. <h3>Objectives</h3> A combination of human and mouse studies were used to address the role of RANK-RANKL interaction in primary (p) SS. <h3>Methods</h3> Salivary glands (SGs) and saliva samples from patients recruited in the OASIS cohort (University of Birmingham) were studied to evaluate this pathway in human disease. Consecutive stimulated saliva samples (n=69) were analysed using Proseek Multiplex INF<sup>96 × 96</sup>, covering 92 unique inflammation-related protein biomarkers. Taking advantage of a viral induced model of pSS we studied the effect of this pathway with a RANKL blocking antibody and by inducing gain of function with direct cannulation in the salivary glands of recombinant RANKL. Murine SGs were studied by immunofluorescence, flow cytometry and qPCR on total tissue and sorted cells. <h3>Results</h3> Fourteen proteins in saliva were significantly separated between pSS and sicca controls, and elevated levels of just two proteins, RANKL and TNFβ, could classify pSS or sicca with 75% accuracy. Levels of salivary RANKL and CCL20 were strongly correlated (r=0.6; p&lt;0.01). We demonstrated that both human and murine inflamed SGEs upregulate both RANK and CCL20, a chemokine known to recruit pathogenic T cells. Upregulation of RANKL was found in human Th2 cells, classically associated with humoral responses and germinal centre (GC) formation. SGs from mice treated with anti-RANKL antibody showed decreased epithelial proliferation, reduced T cell infiltration and defective TLS establishment. On the contrary, viral infected SGs treated with recombinant RANKL showed increased T cell infiltration, CCL20 expression and enhanced differentiation of GC B cells. <h3>Conclusions</h3> <i>In vivo</i> RANK/RANKL interaction mediates recruitment of activated T cells that are skewed toward a Th2 phenotype. These, in turn, will favour the establishment of TLS in the SG. Those data were confirmed in human pSS, where expression of RANK is found in inflamed epithelium and RANKL detection in saliva is able to differentiate patients with pSS from sicca controls, thus candidates this pathway both for drug targeting and patient stratification. <h3>Disclosure of Interest</h3> None declared