Levels of the inflammatory molecule IL-7 were higher in the blood of people with Sjögren’s syndrome compared with healthy people and were linked to greater disease severity and indicators of inflammation, a study found. A deeper review of literature relating to IL-7 and Sjögren’s across animal, cell cultures, and…
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasounds can detect inflammation and lesions in the salivary glands that are suggestive of primary juvenile Sjögren’s syndrome (JSS) before dryness symptoms begin. These tests can help diagnose the disorder early, according to a recent case study that described the progression of JSS…
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) isolated from dental tissue eased the signs and symptoms of Sjögren’s syndrome in a mouse model, a study indicated. These effects were driven by the cells’ ability to modulate immune responses, according to researchers, who noted that MSCs are “rapid proliferating” and have “strong anti-inflammatory…
The function of immune regulatory T-cells (Tregs) — cells that play a key role in dampening the body’s immune response — is impaired in women with Sjögren’s syndrome, a study suggests. Moreover, blood levels of a protein called sIL-2R were elevated in those with more severe disease. According to…
Researchers have developed a quick, noninvasive way of collecting tear fluid and analyzing the proteins in it — an approach that could eventually be used to identify biomarkers that help to diagnose diseases affecting the eyes, including Sjögren’s syndrome. “We have successfully identified a sensitive approach for discerning the…
Elevated levels in the blood of the protein Krebs von den Lungen-6 (KL-6) — an indicator of lung inflammation — may help identify interstitial lung disease (ILD) in people with primary Sjögren’s syndrome who may not show symptoms, a study suggests. “Serum KL-6 level can serve as a valuable…
The activity of certain “clock genes” — those involved in the body’s internal clock, or circadian rhythm — is significantly dysregulated in the salivary glands of people with primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS) and a disease mouse model, a study shows. Treatment with melatonin, a hormone that regulates the circadian…
People with Sjögren’s syndrome may be at a higher risk of developing multiple types of cancer, according to a recent meta-analysis of several published studies. The analysis confirms a previously identified link between Sjögren’s and a type of blood cancer called non-Hodgkin lymphoma. It also highlighted new relationships between the…
A research team in Japan has developed three-dimensional (3D) “mini organs” from human stem cells to model the lacrimal glands, or tear ducts, which are dysfunctional in Sjögren’s syndrome. The first of their kind, these new mini organs, or organoids, can be used in the future to study disease…
Steroid injections into the spine — similar to the epidural injections often given during childbirth — were effective in controlling pain as a result of nerve damage in a 32-year-old woman with Sjögren’s syndrome, according to a case report. The report, “Lumbar interlaminar epidural steroid injections…
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