Temporal histological changes in lacrimal and major salivary glands in mouse models of Sjogren’s syndrome

BACKGROUND: Evidence in imaging studies suggests that there may be differences in glandular involvement in Sjogren’s syndrome (SS) depending on the stage of the disease. No detailed histological studies are available to show if there are any such difference in glandular involvement at various time periods and stages of SS. This cross sectional study examines the inflammatory changes in mouse models of SS at various ages. METHODS: The histological changes in major salivary and lacrimal glands were studied at ages of 3, 6, 9, 12, 15 and 18 months in both sexes in well characterized mouse models of SS, non-obese diabetes mouse and Interleukin-14 alpha-transgenic mice. RESULTS: Our results indicate that early inflammation concurrently occur in submandibular and lacrimal glands around the age of 6 weeks. Parotid glands are involved much later in the course of SS with less severe inflammation. Sublingual glands are rarely involved. CONCLUSIONS: Our conclusions are that SS may be an organ specific disease with early inflammation occurring in submandibular and lacrimal glands, followed by the parotid. Non organ specific events occur in later courses of the disease. The understanding of the disease progression is important in tailoring early local therapeutic interventions before complete destruction of salivary and lacrimal glands.