It may involve the exocrine glands of the skin, respiratory, urogenital, and digest tract [2].
SS is considered to be an AD featured by prolonged inflammation involving the exocrine glands [ 40].
As recent works suggest [ 35], the underlying inflammatory state of the pancreas might initially involve the exocrine pancreas, prior to the induction of autoimmunity.
pSS is a systemic autoimmune disease characterised by inflammation of the exocrine glands which also can involve the GI tract.
The switch could involve other exocrine and endocrine glands during foetal development.
The disease can involve organs other than the exocrine glands, and the worst disease outcome – lymphoid malignancy – develops in up to 5% of patients with SS.
pSS affects the salivary and lacrimal glands preferentially but may frequently also involve other exocrine glands, for example those of the respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract and skin [ 1- 4].
Due to the multifaceted composition of the pancreas, islet isolation from the pancreas involves dissociation of islets from the exocrine pancreas by enzymatic digestion combined with mechanical agitation.
The switch observed may be an example of further secretion switches involving other exocrine and endocrine glands during foetal development.
The MC5R is expressed in a wide variety of tissues, both centrally and peripherally, and is involved in exocrine gland function in mice.
