High-throughput sequencing of IgH gene in minor salivary glands from Sjögren's syndrome patients reveals dynamic ectopic lymphoid structures with recirculating B cells

This study is the first of this kind performed on minor salivary glands (mSG) of patients with Sjögren's Syndrome. It shows that B cells clones are able to circulate across different glands and once re-seeded in a different mSG to continue the process of somatic hypermutation and switching of the immunoglobulin genes. Understanding B cells behavior in organs affected by autoantibodies, may help in designing personalized therapies, using monoclonal antibodies that target B cells (e.g. Rituximab) only on those patients that have a higher chance to respond.