Compositions and methods for the treatment of sjörgren's syndrome
This invention provides a method of inducing a lacrimal acinar cell in a tissue to degrade a secretory vesicle and its content protein or proteins from the trans-Golgi network (TGN) by contacting the cells with an effective amount of an agent that induces autophagy. Also provided is a method for treating a mammal suffering from defective trans-Golgi network-secretory vesicle (TGN-SV) sorting by administering to the mammal an effective amount of an agent that induces autophagy in the tissue having the defective TGN-SV.
1. A method of treating a mammal suffering from primary or secondary Sjögren's Syndrome (SjS) consisting essentially of administering to the mammal an effective amount of rapamycin.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mammal is a murine, a simian, a leporid, or a human patient.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the treatment comprises reducing the symptoms of dry eye and/or tear loss.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein rapamycin is administered locally or systemically.