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A Chinese herbal medication called SS-1 can reduce inflammation and improve saliva flow, likely due to an inhibitory effect on dendritic cells — a component of the innate immune system, according to a recent study in a mouse model of Sjögren’s syndrome. The study, “Effect of…

The number of lymphocytes — a type of immune blood cell — in the salivary glands of the lip could help identify patients with Sjögren’s syndrome who are at increased risk for developing lymphoma, a new study has found. The study, “A biomarker for lymphoma development in Sjogren’s…

A new method for dividing people with primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS) into subgroups based on detailed molecular differences may help improve precision treatment for patients, a recent study suggests. The findings “have major implications for the treatment of pSS patients,” researchers wrote, as they could help unravel the causes…

A subset of immune cells, called CD4+CD8+ T-cells, is increased in the blood of patients with Sjögren’s syndrome, and their levels seem to correlate with lower disease activity, according to a small study. The findings suggest doctors could make use of those cells to track or even control how…

Immune macrophages — immune cells that fight infection — can mount distinct responses to specific pathogens, based on how a single signaling molecule behaves over time in the presence of that stimuli, a recent study found. However, macrophages in a Sjögren’s syndrome mouse model lack some of…

People with early-onset primary Sjögren’s syndrome may need more intensive glucocorticoid and immunosuppressant therapy, closer follow-up, and regular monitoring than is customary, due to greater immune system activation and a less favorable prognosis than patients with later-onset disease, a study suggests. The study, “Patients with early-onset primary…

An accumulation of damaged, pro-inflammatory immune cells, called senescence-associated T-cells, in salivary glands likely underlies gland dysfunction and dry mouth symptoms commonly seen with aging and in Sjögren’s syndrome patients, a study in mice suggests. Notably, this senescent T-cell buildup was found to be associated with an increased production…

Infections with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), the most common member of the herpes virus family, may contribute to the development of Sjögren’s syndrome by increasing the proportion of immune cells with autoimmune functions, a recent study suggests. Therapies targeting the interaction between EBV and activated…

Abnormalities in how mitochondria are “recycled” by cells could contribute to autoimmune diseases like Sjögren’s syndrome, a new study indicates. The study, “IRGM1 links mitochondrial quality control to autoimmunity,” was published in Nature Immunology. Often referred to as the “powerhouse of the cell,” mitochondria are cellular structures that…

Signaling molecules secreted by stem cells in teeth have anti-inflammatory properties that could be useful for the treatment of Sjögren’s syndrome, recent research in mice shows. The findings were published in Stem Cell Research & Therapy, in the study, “Secreted factors from dental pulp stem cells…