Dendritic cells, T-cells and epithelial cells: a crucial interplay in immunopathology of primary Sjögren's syndrome.

Primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) is a chronic autoimmune disease that is characterized by mononuclear cell infiltration of exocrine glands. T-cells have been shown to play a central role in tissue destruction and regulation of B-cell activity and the production of autoantibodies typifying pSS. Despite the fact that dendritic cells (DCs) are candidate key players in the activation of T- and B-cells in pSS, their contribution has been under evaluated. This manuscript reviews current insights in DC biology and examines literature on the role of DCs in the immunopathology of primary Sjögren's syndrome, focusing on the interplay between dendritic cells, epithelial cells and T-cells.