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REVIEW article

Front. Immunol.
Sec. Cytokines and Soluble Mediators in Immunity
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1443455
This article is part of the Research Topic GenNext: The Future of Salivary Research View all articles

The role of cytokines from salivary gland epithelial cells in the immunopathology of Sjögren's syndrome Cytokines of SGECs in SS

Provisionally accepted
Yuanji Dong Yuanji Dong 1*Ting Wang Ting Wang 2Huaxiang Wu Huaxiang Wu 1*
  • 1 Department of Rheumatology, Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
  • 2 First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    In the pathogenesis and progression of Sjögren's syndrome (SS), hematopoietic cells in the peripheral circulation, tissue-resident immune cells, and parenchymal cells of salivary gland tissues (such as epithelial cells, endothelial cells, fibroblasts, etc.) all play crucial roles. These diverse cells form intricate networks and interact with each other, leading to tissue destruction and persistent chronic inflammation, ultimately causing irreversible damage in glandular function. Among these, salivary gland epithelial cells (SGECs) consistently hold a key position, characterized by their functions in expressing co-stimulatory and antigen-presenting molecules and secreting pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Moreover, SGECs actively engage in and facilitate the development of specific pathological structures within the salivary gland, such as lymphoepithelial lesions (LELs) and tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs), thereby substantially elevating the risk of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma. Overall, SGECs are recognized for their essential and irreplaceable contributions to the pathogenesis of SS. This review article initially delves into the anatomical composition of salivary gland epithelial cells, subsequently focusing on elucidating the different cytokines derived from SGECs, encompassing chemokines, pro-inflammatory cytokines, anti-inflammatory cytokines, pro-survival cytokines, and damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), to explore their key roles in the pathogenesis of SS.

    Keywords: salivary gland epithelial cells, Cytokines, Sjögren's syndrome, Lymphoepithelial lesions, tertiary lymphoid structures

    Received: 04 Jun 2024; Accepted: 28 Aug 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Dong, Wang and Wu. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Yuanji Dong, Department of Rheumatology, Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
    Huaxiang Wu, Department of Rheumatology, Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.