Association of bone morphogenetic protein 6 with exocrine gland dysfunction in patients with Sjogren's syndrome and in mice.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is characterized by autoimmune activation and loss of function in secretory epithelia. The present study was undertaken to investigate and characterize changes in the epithelia associated with the loss of gland function in primary SS.

Methods

To identify changes in epithelial gene expression, custom microarrays were probed with complementary RNA (cRNA) isolated from minor salivary glands (MSGs) of female patients with primary SS who had low focus scores and low salivary flow rates, and the results were compared with those obtained using cRNA from the MSGs of sex-matched healthy volunteers. The effect of bone morphogenetic protein 6 (BMP-6) on salivary gland function was tested using adeno-associated virus-mediated gene transfer to th

SUBMITTER: Yin H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4527329 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature