Prospects and challenges of salivary gland tissue engineering in Sjögren's syndrome.

Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is characterised by an autoimmune response that targets the salivary and lacrimal glands, resulting in dry mouth and eyes. In addition to these local manifestations, the systemic involvement of other organs can also occur. Current treatment options primarily focus on replacement therapies and the use of hormones or immunosuppressants to mitigate tissue and organ damage caused by excessive autoimmune reactions. However, these interventions are unable to restore the function of salivary glands that have sustained damage. In recent years, advancements in regenerative medicine and increasing applications of bioengineering in the medical field have highlighted the potential of salivary gland tissue engineering for treating SS. Researchers have discovered that integrating salivary gland epithelial cells with regenerative stem cells, nanozymes capable of specifically targeting and eliminating inflammation, and bioactive components into specific hydrogels or 3D scaffolds facilitates the construction of functional salivary gland organoids. Subsequently, transplanting these organoids with secretory function into the impaired salivary glands of patients aims to alleviate dry mouth symptoms caused by autoimmune damage, trauma, radiation or other factors. This review aims to provide an overview of the mechanism of salivary gland damage due to SS, along with the applications and challenges associated with salivary gland tissue engineering.