Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Sjogren's Specific Genes

image found on Wikipedia

This amazing news can be found in the winter 2014 edition of the Sjogren's Syndrome Foundation's publication Sjogren's Quarterly:

First Genes Specific to Sjogren's Identified! 
"Scientists at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation have identified the first-ever Sjogren's-specific genes. Six genes in Sjogren's and additional genes already linked to autoimmune disease were discovered by the international consortium, Sjogren's Genetic Network (SGENE), led by Kathy L. Sivils, PhD.........Lead author on the publication, Christopher Lessard, PhD states, "Now that we've identified these genes, we can dig down and start to understand how these genetic variants alter normal functions of the immune system."..........A full article on the findings will be published in the spring issue of the Sjogren's Quarterly. The journal publication is: Lessard DJ et al. Variants at multiple loci implicated in both innate and adaptive immune responses are associated with Sjogren's syndrome. Nat Genet. 202213 Nov;45(11):1284-92. dii: 101038/ng.2792. 
I can't wait to hear more about this extraordinary finding. The next time someone tells you that Sjogren's is "all in your head", tell them that actually it's in our genes. So there.

4 comments:

Tricia said...

That is great news!!!!!!!

ShEiLa said...

Fabulous!
I know scientific research is slow.... But I just hope that the next generation of Sjoggies can feel better than this generation.

Brigid Rauch said...

Twenty years ago, one of my girls was diagnosed with JRA. At the time, the theory was that autoimmune diseases hit out of the blue. I believed this, despite a history of autoimmune in my mother's family. Today, with myself and two of my other girls diagnosed, the search is on for the genetic component. What a difference 20 years makes!

Anonymous said...

Isn't it about time?!

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