This mouse strain produces SjS-like disease, displaying pathophysiological changes at early age, followed by lymphocytic infiltrations of the salivary and lacrimal glands, and the production of autoantibodies (autoAbs) to nuclear antigens (Ags; SSA/Ro, SSB/La) in the complete absence of type 1 diabetes. This evidence concerns the gene SSB and type 1 diabetes mellitus.