SYK and systemic lupus erythematosus: Another gene that might be responsible for increasing the aberrant androgen-induced inflammation in NOD lacrimal glands is Syk. This tyrosine kinase is very much involved in signaling pathways in hematopoietic cells, and also functions within epithelial cells to promote inflammatory responses.59,60Syk inhibition has been proposed as a potential treatment for SLE and SS.61 However, although Syk gene expression is increased in the inflamed lacrimal glands of female MRL/lpr mice (NCBI GEO series accession number GSE5876), it is not decreased by androgen treatment in this strain.