Immunopathology of Sjögren-like disease in NZB/HZW mice.

In vitro responsiveness of spleen cells from NZP/NZW (B/W) female mice, aged 2 through 40 weeks, to the mitogens phytohemagglutinin (PHA), concanavalin-A (Con-A) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was determined. An age-related decline in proliferative response of splenic cells was found; this decline correlated with the age of onset and progression of lymphoid infiltration in lacrimal and salivary glands in the mice. The worsening with age of this lymphoid infiltrate, coupled with the decline in responsiveness to mitogens, suggests a complex immunopathologic process with destruction of glands terminating in a disease similar to the Sjögren syndrome in humans.