Pharmacological Rescue of Ductal CFTR Rescue Pancreatic and Salivary glands Acinar Cells and Tissue Function in Mouse Models of Autoimmune diseases

Sjögren’s syndrome and autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) are disorders with decreased function of salivary, lacrimal glands, and the exocrine pancreas. NOD/ShiLTJ mice and mice transduced with the cytokine BMP6 develop Sjögren’s syndrome and chronic pancreatitis and MRL/Mp mice are models of AIP. CFTR is a ductal Cl- channel essential for ductal fluid and HCO3- secretion. We used these models to ask: is CFTR expression altered in these diseases, does correction of CFTR correct gland function, and most notably, does correcting ductal function correct acinar function.

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