AR and Sjogren syndrome: It is noteworthy that acinar and ductal epithelial cells contain the androgen receptors that are the target for androgen activity in lacrimal tissue.81 In addition, these cells are thought to be the primary cells involved in the initiation and perpetuation of glandular autoimmune reactivity in Sjögren syndrome.82 We hypothesize that this androgen-epithelial cell interaction induces the altered activity of specific genes in lacrimal glands, and leads to the reduction of pathological lesions and an improvement in glandular function in MRL/lpr, and the opposite effects in NOD, mice.