The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 05, 2017
Filed:
Sep. 25, 2013
The United States of America, As Represented BY the Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC (US);
John A. Chiorini, Dayton, MD (US);
Abstract
Described herein is the finding that patients with Sjögren's syndrome exhibit a statistically significant increase in expression of BMP6 in the salivary gland, relative to healthy control subjects. Also described herein is the finding that overexpression of BMP6 in the salivary glands of mice results in an increase in electrical potential across the salivary gland. Thus, provided herein are methods of diagnosing a subject as having Sjögren's syndrome, or at risk for developing Sjögren's syndrome, by measuring the level of BMP6 expression in a salivary gland of a subject, measuring electrical potential in a salivary gland of a subject, or both. Also provided herein are methods of treating a subject with Sjögren's syndrome by administering an agent that inhibits expression of BMP6 expression or activity. Also described herein is the use of XIST and MECP2 as diagnostic and therapeutic targets for male Sjögren's syndrome patients.