Researchers identify candidate vaccine.

2002 NOV 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Researchers at the Hospital for Sick Children (HSC), Toronto Western Hospital and the University of Toronto (U of T) have identified the protein that triggers the autoimmune response in Sjogren syndrome, a prevalent autoimmune disease, as well as a candidate vaccine to treat this condition.

This research is reported in the October 5, 2002, issue of the Lancet.

Using a mouse model that naturally develops autoimmune Sjogren syndrome, the laboratory of Dr. Michael Dosch, an HSC senior scientist, has identified a protein (ICA69) that is a major target in the autoimmune response that results in Sjogren syndrome. They have also developed a prototype vaccine to treat this condition, which dramatically reduced the progression of tissue damage even relatively late in the disease in the animal model.

Sjogren syndrome is an autoimmune disease in which the body's immune system mistakenly attacks its own moisture-producing glands - for example, the salivary (mouth) and lacrimal (tear duct) glands. Sjogren syndrome affects approximately 1% of the population. Nine out of 10 patients are women and the average age of onset is in the late 40s. About 50% of the time Sjogren syndrome occurs alone, and 50% of the time it occurs in the presence of another connective tissue disease. The four most common diagnoses that coexsist with Sjogren syndrome are rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus, systemic sclerosis (scleroderma) and polymyositis/dermatomyositis.

The primary symptoms of Sjogren syndrome are dry eyes and dry mouth. It may also cause dryness of other organs, affecting the kidneys, gastrointestinal tract, blood vessels, lung, liver, pancreas, and the central nervous system. Many patients experience debilitating fatigue and joint pain. Symptoms can plateau, worsen, or go into remission. While some people experience mild symptoms, others suffer debilitating symptoms that greatly ...