Sjögren’s Syndrome-Related Organs Fibrosis: Hypotheses and Realities

Journal of Clinical Medicine

Domenico Ribatti¹  Sabrina Lisi¹  Margherita Sisto¹ 

[1] Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neurosciences and Sensory Organs (SMBNOS), Section of Human Anatomy and Histology, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, I-70124 Bari, Italy;

关键词: salivary glands;    fibrosis;    EMT;    Sjögren’s syndrome;    autoimmunity;   

DOI  :  10.3390/jcm11123551

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Sjögren’s syndrome (SS) is a systemic chronic autoimmune disorder characterized by lymphoplasmacytic infiltration of salivary glands (SGs) and lacrimal glands, causing glandular damage. The disease shows a combination of dryness symptoms found in the oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, and vagina, representing a systemic disease. Recent advances link chronic inflammation with SG fibrosis, based on a molecular mechanism pointing to the epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). The continued activation of inflammatory-dependent fibrosis is highly detrimental and a common final pathway of numerous disease states. The important question of whether and how fibrosis contributes to SS pathogenesis is currently intensely debated. Here, we collect the recent findings on EMT-dependent fibrosis in SS SGs and explore clinical evidence of multi-organ fibrosis in SS to highlight potential avenues for therapeutic investigation.

【 授权许可】

Unknown