Project 458820

Sjogren's syndrome (SS) is a longstanding, progressive disease that is predominant in women and primarily involves decreased bodily fluid secretions. Lack of saliva and its associated symptoms, such as dry mouth, impaired speech, tooth decay, loss of taste, painful inability to swallow, ulcerations and infections in the mouth, ultimately lead to poor quality of life. Dry mouth in SS is known to occur due to improper regulation of the body's immune mechanisms. However, recent findings highlight the possible role of altered or reduced nerve supply to the salivary glands, which leads to decreased saliva production. The current treatment for dry mouth is palliative and aims at symptoms of the patient, as an attempt to improve the quality of life. Symptomatic therapy provided by the use of topical lubricating agents and immunosuppressive drugs have shown improvement; however, they are palliative and associated with a plethora of adverse effects. Moreover, these drugs fail to repair and restore the glandular secretory function. Despite scientific advances, a significant and permanent treatment for dry mouth is yet to be established. Stem cells are specialised human cells that can be used to replace cells that have been damaged or lost due to disease. Recently, stem cells and their applications in the treatment of dry mouth related to oral cancer and SS have proven powerful and promising. Thus, we propose the use of specialised stem cells to regenerate nervous stimulation in the salivary glands, ultimately increasing salivary secretions. Dry mouth can also be due to other health conditions, such as diabetes, stroke, oral fungal infection, Alzheimer's disease, and other autoimmune diseases, such as HIV/AIDS. The results of our studies could pave the way and create a new strategy for innovative uses of stem cells in other conditions leading to dry mouth; thereby solving major problems occurring due to low salivary secretions for millions of patients worldwide.