Another study found that in a co-culture of NOD mice salivary gland acinar cells (SGAC) and B-lymphocyte (an in-vitro model of salivary gland disease in SS), there was a significant increase in production of cytokines IL-6 and IL-1β by B-lymphocytes and increased phosphorylation of STAT3 in SGAC (91). Here, STAT3 is linked to salivary gland disorder.