# Primary Sjögren’s syndrome-associated immune thrombocytopenia: from pathogenesis to treatment

**Authors:** Ziqiang Zheng, Taoyuan He, Guixiang Zhang, Guohua Fu, Chang Liu

PMC · DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2026.1748373 · Frontiers in Immunology · 2026-03-04

## TL;DR

This paper reviews the causes and treatments of immune thrombocytopenia in patients with primary Sjögren’s syndrome, focusing on new therapies and biomarkers for personalized care.

## Contribution

The paper systematically summarizes pSS-ITP pathogenesis and treatment, emphasizing novel therapies and biomarker-guided approaches for individualized care.

## Key findings

- pSS-ITP involves TLR7 signaling, B-cell hyperactivation, and autoantibody-mediated platelet destruction.
- Emerging treatments include TPO-RAs, B-cell–targeted therapies, and mTOR inhibitors.
- Biomarkers like megakaryocyte counts and autoantibody profiles may guide personalized treatment selection.

## Abstract

Primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS) is an autoimmune disorder characterized by xerostomia and keratoconjunctivitis sicca, with approximately 10%–20% of patients developing concurrent immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). Recent studies suggest the pathogenesis of primary Sjögren’s syndrome - associated immune thrombocytopenia (pSS-ITP) may involve dysregulated TLR7 signaling, B-cell hyperactivation, and autoantibody-mediated platelet destruction. Beyond conventional therapies (e.g., glucocorticoids and intravenous immunoglobulin [IVIG]), emerging treatments have garnered increasing attention, including thrombopoietin receptor agonists (TPO-RAs), B-cell–targeted therapies, and mTOR inhibitors. Predictive models incorporating bone marrow megakaryocyte counts and autoantibody profiles may facilitate individualized treatment selection. Future multicenter clinical studies are warranted to evaluate the long-term efficacy and safety of novel agents and to explore biomarker-guided precision therapy. This review systematically summarizes the pathophysiological mechanisms of pSS- ITP, synthesizes current clinical treatment strategies, and highlights key biomarkers with potential implications for therapeutic response, aiming to provide a theoretical foundation and practical guidance for optimizing individualized therapeutic regimens.

## Linked entities

- **Diseases:** immune thrombocytopenia (MONDO:0002048), keratoconjunctivitis sicca (MONDO:0006733)

## Full-text entities

- **Genes:** SELPLG (selectin P ligand) [NCBI Gene 6404] {aka CD162, CLA, PSGL-1, PSGL1}, TLR7 (toll like receptor 7) [NCBI Gene 51284] {aka IMD74, SLEB17, TLR7-like}, FCGR2A (Fc gamma receptor IIa) [NCBI Gene 2212] {aka CD32, CD32A, CDw32, FCG2, FCGR2, FCGR2A1}, MPL (MPL proto-oncogene, thrombopoietin receptor) [NCBI Gene 4352] {aka C-MPL, CD110, MPLV, THCYT2, THPOR, TPOR}, CD40 (CD40 molecule) [NCBI Gene 958] {aka Bp50, CDW40, TNFRSF5, p50}, SELP (selectin P) [NCBI Gene 6403] {aka CD62, CD62P, GMP140, GRMP, LECAM3, PADGEM}, FCGR1A (Fc gamma receptor Ia) [NCBI Gene 2209] {aka CD64, CD64A, FCG1, FCGR1, FCRI, FcgammaRI}, TPO (thyroid peroxidase) [NCBI Gene 7173] {aka MSA, TDH2A, TPX}, IFNA1 (interferon alpha 1) [NCBI Gene 3439] {aka IFL, IFN, IFN-ALPHA, IFN-alphaD, IFNA13, IFNA@}, THPO (thrombopoietin) [NCBI Gene 7066] {aka CAMT2, MGDF, MKCSF, ML, MPLLG, THC9}, IRAK1 (interleukin 1 receptor associated kinase 1) [NCBI Gene 3654] {aka IRAK, pelle}, MTOR (mechanistic target of rapamycin kinase) [NCBI Gene 2475] {aka FRAP, FRAP1, FRAP2, RAFT1, RAPT1, SKS}, ITGB3 (integrin subunit beta 3) [NCBI Gene 3690] {aka BDPLT16, BDPLT2, BDPLT24, CD61, FMAIT1, GP3A}, TRAF6 (TNF receptor associated factor 6) [NCBI Gene 7189] {aka MGC:3310, RNF85}, GP1BA (glycoprotein Ib platelet subunit alpha) [NCBI Gene 2811] {aka BDPLT1, BDPLT3, BSS, CD42B, CD42b-alpha, DBPLT3}, FCGR2B (Fc gamma receptor IIb) [NCBI Gene 2213] {aka CD32, CD32B, FCG2, FCGR2, IGFR2}, IRAK4 (interleukin 1 receptor associated kinase 4) [NCBI Gene 51135] {aka IMD67, IPD1, IRAK-4, NY-REN-64, REN64}, CD40LG (CD40 ligand) [NCBI Gene 959] {aka CD154, CD40L, HIGM1, IGM, IMD3, T-BAM}, MYD88 (MYD88 innate immune signal transduction adaptor) [NCBI Gene 4615] {aka IMD68, MYD88D, WM1}
- **Diseases:** CTD-ITP (MESH:D016553), hepatorenal toxicity (MESH:D006530), keratoconjunctivitis sicca (MESH:D007638), exocrine gland dysfunction (MESH:C565225), RTP (MESH:D000069279), platelet (MESH:D001791), xerostomia (MESH:D014987), opportunistic infections (MESH:D009894), platelet destruction (MESH:D008105), connective tissue disease (MESH:D003240), infection (MESH:D007239), bleeding (MESH:D006470), autoimmune (MESH:D001327), PSS (MESH:C564818), SLE (MESH:D008180), IMIDs (MESH:C567355), Thrombocytopenia (MESH:D013921), thrombotic (MESH:D013927), inflammatory (MESH:D007249), hematologic disorders (MESH:D006402), toxicity (MESH:D064420), Primary Sjogren's syndrome (MESH:D012859), CL (MESH:D002971), organ damage (MESH:D000092124), Bone marrow dysfunction (MESH:D001855)
- **Chemicals:** HCQ (MESH:D006886), sirolimus (MESH:D020123), eltrombopag (MESH:C520809), MMF (MESH:D009173), MHV370 (-), Rituximab (MESH:D000069283), prednisone (MESH:D011241), cyclosporine A (MESH:D016572), cyclophosphamide (MESH:D003520), steroid (MESH:D013256)
- **Species:** Mus musculus (house mouse, species) [taxon 10090], Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606]

## Full text

_Full body text omitted from this summary view._ Fetch the complete paper as Markdown: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12996179/full.md

## Figures

2 figures with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12996179/full.md

## References

56 references — full list in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12996179/full.md

---
Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12996179