Objective To explore the expressions of human β-defensin（hBD）-2 and hBD-2 mRNA in salivary glands of patients with Sj觟gren syndrome（SS） and to explain the correlation between hBD-2 and clinical, clinicopathologic features. Methods To detect the expression of hBD-2 by streptaividin perodaxe immunohostochemical and in situ hybridization method from 30 cases suffered from SS and 10 cases from normal salivary glands. Correlations between hBD-2 and Chisholm’s score or organic manifestations were investigated. Results hBD-2 was observed in salivary glands from patients with SS, but few hBD-2 positive cells could be seen in salivary glands in the normal specimens. The high score of Chisholm’s score and SS with other organic manifestations were also correlated with a higer percentage of hBD-2 of SS patients. Conclusion hBD-2 was overexpressed in glands’ ductal epithelial cells in SS and related with the chronic inflammation campared with normal specimens and may play an important role in the local autoimmune reaction
