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Childhood Sjögren syndrome: insights from adults and animal models
Journal article   Open access

Childhood Sjögren syndrome: insights from adults and animal models

Scott M Lieberman
Current opinion in rheumatology, Vol.25(5), pp.651-657
09/2013
DOI: 10.1097/BOR.0b013e328363ed23
PMCID: PMC4049091
PMID: 23917159
url
https://doi.org/10.1097/BOR.0b013e328363ed23View
Published (Version of record) Open Access

Abstract

Sjögren syndrome is a chronic autoimmune disease affecting lacrimal and salivary glands that often is accompanied by extraglandular disease manifestations. Although common in adults, the prevalence and prognosis of childhood Sjögren syndrome are unknown, in part due to lack of child-specific diagnostic and classification criteria. This review discusses difficulties in diagnosing childhood Sjögren syndrome and highlights recent findings in Sjögren syndrome treatment and pathogenesis from studies in adults and animal models over the past 18 months. Studies of rituximab show some therapeutic potential in adult Sjögren syndrome, whereas newer modalities including gene therapy and mesenchymal stem cell transfer are promising. The pathogenesis of Sjögren syndrome is emerging, including roles of T and B lymphocytes, autoantibodies, interferons, and glandular epithelial cells. Specific recent notable findings in Sjögren syndrome pathogenesis include identification of a type II interferon signature in salivary glands of Sjögren syndrome patients, characterization of salivary gland-infiltrating T-cell subsets, and characterization of antimuscarinic acetylcholine receptor type 3 autoantibodies. Childhood Sjögren syndrome is a poorly defined and underdiagnosed autoimmune disease that requires child-specific criteria in order to study disease burden and prognosis. Studies in adults and animal models continue to elucidate new potential diagnostic and therapeutic targets, which may be relevant for childhood Sjögren syndrome. http://links.lww.com/COR/A3.
T-Lymphocyte Subsets - immunology Genetic Predisposition to Disease Sjogren's Syndrome - etiology Humans Biomarkers - analysis Rituximab Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation - methods Animals B-Lymphocytes - immunology Sjogren's Syndrome - therapy Sjogren's Syndrome - diagnosis Adult Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived - therapeutic use Disease Models, Animal Genetic Therapy - methods Immunologic Factors - therapeutic use

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