Compositions and methods for the treatment of sj?rgren's syndrome

A method of inhibiting the missorting of a secretory protein or proteins by inducing a lacrimal acinar cell in a tissue to degrade a secretory vesicle and its content protein or proteins from the trans-Golgi network (TGN) comprising contacting the cell with an effective amount of an agent that induces autophagy, thereby inhibiting the missorting of a secretory proteins from the trans-Golgi network.

A method of treating a mammal suffering from one or more condition selected from defective degredation of a secretory vesicle in a lactimal cell and its content proteins or proteins, an inflammatory autoimmune lacrimal gland disease, Graft versus Host Disease (GVHD) or primary or secondary Sjögren's Syndrome (SjS) comprising administering to the mammal an effective amount of an agent that induces a lacrimal acinar cell in a tissue to degrade a secretory vesicle and its content protein or proteins from the trans-Golgi network (TGN), thereby treating the mammal.

A method for treating a mammal suffering from defective trans-Golgi network-secretory vesicle (TGN-SV) sorting, comprising administering to the mammal an effective amount of an agent that induces autophagy in the tissue having the defective TGN-SV, thereby treating the mammal.