Rheumatoid Arthritis Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Rheumatoid Arthritis, including details on treatment, symptoms, causes, medication.

Autoimmunity and coxsackievirus infection in primary Sjogren's syndrome.

Triantafyllopoulou A, Moutsopoulos HM

Department of Pathophysiology, National University of Athens Medical School, M. Asias 75, Goudi, Athens 11527, Greece.

Exocrine gland epithelial cells are the target of autoimmune pathology in primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS). Their activated phenotype has incited the notion that they are infected by a virus. We recently presented evidence that coxsackieviruses may persistently infect the salivary glands of pSS patients. We hypothesize that coxsackieviruses may play a permissive role for the perpetuation and possibly the induction of autoimmune disease in pSS.

Published 14 July 2005 in Ann N Y Acad Sci, 1050: 389-96.
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