Sjogren's Syndrome

Sjogren's syndrome is a long-term autoimmune condition that mainly targets the exocrine glands, particularly the lachrymal and salivary glands. Protheragen offers full service for diagnostics and therapeutic development for Sjogren's syndrome.

Overview of Sjogren's Syndrome

Sjogren's syndrome (SS) is a long-lasting condition marked by the inflammation of lymphocytes in the exocrine glands which includes the salivary and lacrimal glands and leads to dry mouth (xerostomia) and dry eyes (keratoconjunctivitis sicca). This condition occurs more often in women who are in their middle ages with a ratio of women to men being roughly 9:1. The amount of people suffering from primary Sjogren's syndrome (pSS) is 0.1% to 4.8% and increases with age. Secondary Sjogren's syndrome (SSS) is usually associated with other autoimmune diseases like systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, and systemic sclerosis.

Schematic representation of new therapeutic targets for primary Sjögren's syndrome.

Fig.1 New therapeutic targets in primary Sjogren's syndrome. (Seror R., et al., 2021)

Diagnostics Development for Sjogren's Syndrome

Emerging Diagnostic Technologies
Developing diagnostic methods prioritizes the detection of specific biological indicators. For example, heightened concentrations of beta2-microglobulin and free light chains of immunoglobulins are linked with an increased likelihood of developing lymphoma. Furthermore, the interferon signature and other cytokine profiles are being studied for their possible role as markers for assessing the activity and forecast of illness.

Functional and Imaging Diagnostics
Salivary gland function can be tested using parotid sialography and salivary gland scintigraphy. Although still under validation, ultrasonography of major salivary glands is also used. Other imaging modalities like high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may illustrate more global pathology, particularly in the context of interstitial lung disease or its central nervous system components.

Therapeutics Development for Sjogren's Syndrome

Therapeutics for sjogren's syndrome include anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive drugs. Cyclosporine eye drops have proven effective in the therapeutics of moderate to severe dry eye disease. For systemic manifestations, hydroxychloroquine is frequently used to treat arthralgia and myalgia. In the presence of inflammatory arthritis, methotrexate and other disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARD) are used. Monoclonal antibody drugs like rituximab, which acts against CD20, have been found to benefit systemic features including fatigue and peripheral neuropathy.

Our Services

Protheragen's capabilities extend from initial research through preclinical confirmation, offering comprehensive frameworks for the finding and refinement of groundbreaking diagnostic and therapeutic solutions. Our company focuses on biomarker discovery and validation, diagnostics development, including functional and imaging modalities, and preclinical design and evaluation of therapeutics.

Diagnostics Development

Karyotype Analysis Service
Omics Analysis Service
Biomarker Development Service
Artificial Intelligence Service
Customized Diagnostics Development

Therapeutic Development

Small Molecule Drug
Cell Therapy
Gene Therapy
Therapeutic Antibody
Therapeutic Peptide
Therapeutic Protein
Customized Therapy Development

Disease Models

Non-Obese Diabetic (NOD) Models
RbAp48 Transgenic Models
ArKO Models
Overexpress Osteopontin (Opn) Transgenic Models
NOD.B10Sn-H2(b)/J Models

Understanding the distinctive requirements of every research project, Protheragen stands out by providing tailored services that perfectly match the specifics of any type of research project. My advisors collaborate side by side with the clients to develop and execute customized research plans, which guarantees the optimal performance of each project. If you are interested in our services, please feel free to contact us.

References

Seror, Raphaèle, Gaetane Nocturne, and Xavier Mariette. "Current and future therapies for primary Sjögren syndrome." Nature Reviews Rheumatology 17.8 (2021): 475-486.
Stefanski, Ana-Luisa, et al. "The diagnosis and treatment of Sjögren's syndrome." Deutsches Ärzteblatt International 114.20 (2017): 354.