Abstract: Unraveling Sjogrens dry eye

Upbeat article certainly makes the Sjogrens research horizon sound very promising. May it be so!

Unraveling the pathophysiology of Sjogren syndrome-associated dry eye disease.
Ocul Surf. 2009 Jan;7(1):11-27.
Nguyen CQ, Peck AB.
Department of Oral Biology, College of Dentistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32610, USA. Nguyen@pathology.ufl.edu

Sjogren syndrome (SS) is one of the most common autoimmune diseases. Early clinical manifestations of SS are primarily decreased tear and saliva secretion, leading to dry eye and dry mouth syndromes, but in its later stages, it can become systemic, even resulting in B cell lymphomas. The use of new animal models, coupled with new technologies, is providing exciting insights into the pathogenesis, genetic predisposition, and, possibly, early diagnosis of SS. This article reviews newly described features of SS identified in experimental animal models and their relationship to human disease. New technologies, such as genomics and proteomics, may permit identification of potential candidate genes and biomarkers for disease diagnosis. Current studies using appropriate animal models in parallel with studies of human subjects are rapidly establishing a foundation for new intervention strategies that go beyond merely treating symptoms.