[Maeil Business Newspaper] “Why Am I Drinking So Much Water?” — It May Be More Than Just Thirst

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Obstructive Sialadenitis May Be the Cause
Calcified Deposits Can Block Saliva Flow
Severe Cases May Affect Speech and Digestion

As dry weather becomes more common, an increasing number of people experience dry eyes and tight, dehydrated skin. Some also suffer from severe dryness in the mouth, leaving it feeling cracked and uncomfortable. If drinking plenty of water does not relieve the symptoms, obstructive sialadenitis may be worth considering.

Obstructive sialadenitis is an inflammatory condition that occurs when the normal flow of saliva is disrupted by calcified deposits such as salivary stones. The condition often becomes chronic, and in severe cases, impaired salivary gland function can interfere with normal speech and digestion, significantly reducing quality of life.

Until recently, treatment options for obstructive sialadenitis have largely been limited to medications such as pilocarpine, which stimulates saliva production, or oral agents designed to relieve dry mouth. Although various studies have explored ways to restore salivary gland function, treatment has generally remained focused on symptom management.

A joint research team from Konkuk University, Gangnam Severance Hospital, and StemExOne has now reported a promising new approach to treating obstructive sialadenitis.

According to Konkuk University’s KU Institute of Science and Technology, a team led by Prof. Ssang-Goo Cho of the Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biotechnology, together with Prof. Jae-Yeol Lim of the Department of Otorhinolaryngology at Gangnam Severance Hospital and the R&D team at drug development company StemExOne, demonstrated the potential of stem cell-derived exosomes as a treatment for the disease.

Exosomes are a type of extracellular vesicle (EV) that act as biological messengers, facilitating communication and signal transmission between cells.

The researchers isolated exosomes from salivary gland-derived stem cells and applied them to three-dimensional salivary gland organoids, which mimic the structure and function of real organs, as well as to a mouse disease model.

The results showed that exosomes secreted by salivary gland-derived stem cells were taken up more efficiently by salivary gland epithelial cells than exosomes derived from umbilical cord tissue stem cells.

In the organoid model, the treatment restored expression of aquaporin-5 (AQP5), a key water-channel protein whose expression had been reduced by inflammation, to near-normal levels. In the mouse model, the researchers also demonstrated salivary gland tissue regeneration and regulation of immune cell infiltration.

“Stem cell-derived exosomes have excellent biocompatibility and are demonstrating therapeutic potential across a wide range of diseases,” Prof. Cho said. “Continued interest and support from the industry will be important to translate these findings into clinical research.”

Prof. Lim added, “Stem cell-derived exosomes could be used effectively in combination with salivary gland endoscopy. By significantly reducing the adverse effects associated with drug therapy and surgery, this approach could help improve quality of life for many patients in an aging society.”

The study was published in the Journal of Controlled Release (Impact Factor 11.467), one of the leading journals in the pharmaceutical sciences.

The paper’s co-first authors were Dr. Kyung Min Lim of Konkuk University and Research Prof. Dong-Hyun Kim of Gangnam Severance Hospital, while Prof. Ssang-Goo Cho and Prof. Jae-Yeol Lim served as corresponding authors.