LACRT
Description
The LACRT (lacritin) is a protein-coding gene located on chromosome 12.
Lacritin is a 12.3 kDa glycoprotein encoded by the LACRT gene. It was discovered through a search for factors that stimulate tear protein secretion. Lacritin is a secreted protein found in tears and saliva, and promotes tear secretion, epithelial cell proliferation and survival, and corneal wound healing. As a multifunctional prosecretory mitogen with cell survival activity, lacritin plays a crucial role in the lacrimal functional unit (LFU), which comprises the lacrimal gland, accessory lacrimal gland of Wolfring, meibomian gland, and epithelial cells of the conjunctiva and cornea. Lacritin is primarily produced by the lacrimal gland, although it is also found in the meibomian gland and conjunctival and corneal epithelia. Dry eye, the most common LFU disease, may involve downregulation of lacritin, as suggested by a growing number of studies. Topical lacritin has been shown to promote tearing in rabbit preclinical studies. A bactericidal C-terminal fragment can be released from lacritin by natural or bacterial cleavage.
LACRT is also known as -.
Associated Diseases
- breast cancer
- cerebellar ataxia, intellectual disability, and dysequilibrium
- Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, dermatosparaxis type
- hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia, familial, 4
- Duane retraction syndrome
- fungal infectious disease
- corneal infection
