Fig. 1

Histological analysis and expression of autophagy markers in SS salivary gland infiltrates. MSG staining for T (CD3+; brown) and B (CD20+; pink) cells showing two types of foci: “small focus” (a) and “large focus (CD21−)” (b). MSG IHC staining for T (CD3+; brown) and B (CD20+; pink) lymphocytes (c). MSG IHC staining for follicular dendritic cells (CD21; brown) showing a “large focus (CD21+)” (d). Tonsil IHC staining for T (CD3+; brown) and B (CD20+; pink) cells showing a “tonsil GC” (e). MSG cresyl violet staining showing a GC-like structure before microdissection (f), circumscribed by green line for microdissection (g) and following microdissection (h). Atg5 and MAPLC3A gene expression levels (2^deltaCt normalized to GAPDH) in three different types of SS salivary gland infiltrates (i, l). Atg5 and MAPLC3A gene expression levels in large foci CD21+ from SS MSG (GC-like structures) and tonsil GC (m, n). Data are presented as box and whisker plots; individual data points are shown. p values are displayed in each graph; two-tailed unpaired Mann-Whitney U test