# Aging and Oxidative Stress Influence Salivary Gland Disease in Sjogren's Syndrome

> **NIH NIH R01** · OKLAHOMA MEDICAL RESEARCH FOUNDATION · 2024 · $500,954

## Abstract

Sjögren’s Syndrome (SS) is a chronic and debilitating systemic autoimmune disorder afflicting multiple
organ systems. The targeting of the exocrine salivary and lacrimal glands by an autoimmune and
inflammatory response leads to organ dysfunction causing reduced fluid secretion, which manifests
into the dry mouth and dry eye symptoms of the disorder. Although a wide age range is reported in
patients at diagnosis, it is well known that most SS patients are older. Why phenotypic traits are more
prominent in older patients is unknown. Aging organs show heightened oxidative stress, which is often
associated with declining organ function. Although,. SS patients show evidence of increased oxidative
stress markers; whether elevated oxidative stress is causative or the outcome of an inflammatory
response is unclear and challenging to investigate in patients. Hence based on published literature and
our preliminary data, this proposal will test the overall hypothesis that the combined effects of
autoimmunity and aging-associated oxidative stress contribute to salivary gland disease and
dysfunction in SS. Aim 1 of this proposal will specifically address the hypothesis that aging-associated
oxidative stress makes salivary glands more susceptible to immune-mediated damage. And in aim 2,
by using a novel mouse model system, we will test the hypothesis that oxidative stress per se in salivary
gland epithelial cells is insufficient to cause SS. The primary goal of this proposal is to understand the
mechanisms behind key clinical observations in SS patients: prominence of clinical symptoms at an
older age and the possible role of elevated oxidative stress in the disease process. Understanding
basic mechanisms linking aging with organ dysfunction in SS will be essential in developing novel
modalities to treat the disease.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10805465
- **Project number:** 5R01DE032911-02
- **Recipient organization:** OKLAHOMA MEDICAL RESEARCH FOUNDATION
- **Principal Investigator:** Umesh S Deshmukh
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $500,954
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-04-01 → 2028-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10805465

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10805465, Aging and Oxidative Stress Influence Salivary Gland Disease in Sjogren's Syndrome (5R01DE032911-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10805465. Licensed CC0.

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