How aging and cell stress damage salivary glands in Sjögren’s
Official title: Aging and Oxidative Stress Influence Salivary Gland Disease in Sjogren's Syndrome
Funded at Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation · NIH-11296942 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are testing whether getting older and increased oxidative (cell) stress make salivary glands more likely to be damaged in Sjögren’s, using mouse models that mimic the disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Oklahoma City, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2023 |
| Project end | January 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $508,777 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DE032911-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11296942 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People diagnosed with Sjögren’s syndrome—especially older adults experiencing dry mouth or dry eye—are the group most likely to benefit from findings of this work.
✕Less likely to help
People without Sjögren’s or those whose salivary glands are already permanently destroyed are unlikely to gain direct benefit from this specific project.
What this research studies
This project looks at why dry mouth and dry eye are often worse in older people with Sjögren’s. The team uses mouse models that mimic Sjögren’s to compare younger and older glands, measure oxidative stress markers, and track immune-mediated damage and saliva production. One aim tests whether age-related oxidative stress makes glands more vulnerable to immune attack, and another uses a new genetic mouse model to see if oxidative stress inside gland cells alone can produce Sjögren’s-like disease. Results will come from tissue analyses, functional saliva measurements, and immune profiling in the lab at the research center.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to ways to protect salivary glands or target oxidative stress to reduce dry mouth and dry eye symptoms in Sjögren’s patients.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have linked oxidative stress to Sjögren’s, but clear proof that aging-related oxidative stress causes gland damage is lacking, so this approach is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation
Oklahoma City, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Deshmukh, Umesh S — Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation
- Study coordinator: Deshmukh, Umesh S
Related research
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.