Wen Zhu, Yun Lu, Yifan Zhu, Xiaohan Huang, Yue Wang

Department of Rheumatology & Immunology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210032, People’s Republic of China

Correspondence: Yue Wang, Department of Rheumatology & Immunology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China, Email wangyue@njucm.edu.cn

Abstract: Sjögren’s disease, an autoimmune inflammatory disease, currently lacks effective treatment options. The salivary gland, a crucial exocrine organ responsible for saliva production and local immune responses on mucous membranes, is frequently impaired in individuals with Sjögren’s disease. Restoring salivary gland function poses a significant challenge for researchers. Salivary epithelial cells, recognized as pivotal components of the salivary gland, have been increasingly implicated as key initiators of inflammation and exhibit innate immune cell-like properties. On the whole, SGEC plays a protective role in the physiological state, and can also participate in the persistence of inflammation as an initiating factor in the pathological state. In the review, we explore the interplay between Ca+, endoplasmic reticulum (ER), and mitochondrial homeostasis imbalance in salivary epithelial cells. Additionally, we provide an overview of current literature on research advancements related to Pattern Recognition Receptors (PRRs), programmed cell death, posttranslational modification (PTM), and oral microecology, etc. specifically focusing on their implications in salivary epithelial cells. Given the crucial role of salivary gland epithelial cells in the onset of Sjögren’s disease, a treatment based on salivary gland epithelial cells may have the potential to alleviate the condition by addressing the inflammatory response in the salivary glands.

Keywords: Sjögren’s disease, pattern recognition receptor, salivary gland epithelial cell, immune homeostasis, innate immune