Genes and Sjögren's Syndrome

The evidence for a strong genetic component conferring susceptibility to primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is mounting. Several associations with SS have been reported and provide evidence that the HLA region harbors important susceptibility loci and that multiple genes outside the HLA region play a role. Genetic discovery lags behind success observed in related autoimmune diseases. Identifying genetic factors that cause SS will allow more precise definition of pathogenic mechanisms leading to the overall SS phenotype and clinically heterogeneous subsets of patients. Critical opportunities are certain to follow for translation into improved diagnosis and therapies for SS and its spectrum diseases.