Autophagy: A Key Player in Salivary Gland Regeneration and Disease

The research examining the role of autophagy in salivary gland regeneration is currently limited. However, a recent study [161] using a 3D organoid system to enhance salivary gland stem cell renewal found that autophagy activation is a crucial self-renewal feature for these cells. Further investigation revealed that autophagy activation promoted salivary gland regeneration, whereas its ablation inhibited self-renewal and regeneration of mouse and human salivary glands.

Several studies have also highlighted the involvement of autophagy in salivary gland disease, such as primary Sj￶gren's syndrome. Serena's study [162] demonstrated a significant increase in autophagy levels in salivary gland epithelial cells from primary Sj￶gren's syndrome patients. Another study [163] discovered that inhibiting excessive autophagy processes with phosphopeptide P140 could reduce tertiary lymphoid structure formation in salivary glands and inhibit primary Sj￶gren's syndrome in NOD.H-2h4 mice. Additionally, a prior study [164] showed that LAMP3 upregulation is associated with autophagic flux destabilization and caspase activation in Sj￶gren's syndrome.

We believe that autophagy plays a crucial role in salivary gland regeneration and function maintenance, but further research is necessary to fully understand its mechanisms and potential therapeutic applications.