What causes dryness in Sjögren's syndrome patients and how can it be targeted?

Abstract

Concepts regarding what causes dryness in Sjögren's syndrome have evolved over the past decade. Inflammation in the lacrimal functional unit contributes to development of dry eye by causing dysfunction and even death of tear secreting epithelium in the lacrimal gland and conjunctiva that alters tear composition and stability. Disease-relevant inflammatory mediators have been identified and therapies targeting these mediators are beginning to emerge.

Keywords::

• cytokine
• dry eye
• inflammation
• IFN-γ
• IL-17
• Sjögren's syndrome
• T cell
• tear dysfunction

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The author has no financial interest in any material in this editorial. The author has received NIH Grant EY11915, NEI/NIH core Grant for Vision Research EY-002520-37, an unrestricted grant from Research to Prevent Blindness, New York, NY, USA, the Oshman Foundation, Houston, TX, USA, the William Stamps Farish Fund, Houston, TX, USA, Hamill Foundation, Houston, TX, USA. The author has no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.