ArticleFrontiers in medicine2022
Prolactin Inducible Protein, but Not Prolactin, Is Present in Human Tears, Is Involved in Tear Film Quality, and Influences Evaporative Dry Eye Disease.
Article in Frontiers in medicine, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.
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Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed, 12 citations in OpenAlex.
- Review
- Altered tear fluid protein expression in persons with mild cognitive impairment.Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD · 2026Article
- Pregnancy and Dry Eye Syndrome: A Review for Clinical Practice.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025Review
- Neuroinflammation Markers in Tear Fluid of Mild Alzheimer's Disease.Journal of molecular neuroscience : MN · 2025Article
- Inherited mitochondrial dysfunction triggered by OPA1 mutation impacts the sensory innervation fibre identity, functionality and regenerative potential in the cornea.Scientific reports · 2024Article
- Review
- 2D-Materials-Based Wearable Biosensor Systems.Biosensors · 2022Review
- Ocular graft-versus-host disease (oGVHD): From A to Z.Survey of ophthalmologyReview
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Purpose: Decreased production of the aqueous component of the tear film is an important cause of the development of dry eye disease (DED). Tear production is influenced by hormones and hormone-like factors. Prolactin (PLR), a multifunctional pituitary gland hormone, is regularly present in the lacrimal gland of rats and rabbits. In humans, serum PLR concentration correlates with tear quality. To gain deeper insights of possible effects of PRL, prolactin receptor (PRLR) and prolactin inducible protein (PIP), we analyzed the three proteins in the human lacrimal apparatus and in reflex tears of healthy volunteers as well as patients suffering from DED. Methods: Gene expression of PRLR and PIP was analyzed by RT-PCR in cadaveric human lacrimal gland and ocular surface tissues, immortalized human corneal epithelial cells (HCE and hTEPI) and human Meibomian gland epithelial cells (HMGECs). At the protein level, the expression and localization of PRL, PRLR and PIP in formalin-fixed paraffin sections of the lacrimal apparatus were studied by immunohistochemistry. In addition, tear fluid from DED patients and healthy volunteers was analyzed by ELISA to determine the concentration of PRL and PIP. Results: RT-PCR analyses revealed gene expression of PRLR and PIP in human tissue samples of cornea, lacrimal glands, and eyelids, whereas only PIP, but not PRLR, was detectable in immortalized corneal epithelial cells. Immunohistochemistry revealed for the first time the expression and localization of PRL, PRLR, and PIP in human tissues of the lacrimal apparatus and at the ocular surface. PRL and PRLR were detectable in corneal epithelium, lacrimal glands, and Meibomian glands. Reflex tears from DED patients revealed significantly increased PIP concentrations, whereas PRL was undetectable in tears of DED patients and healthy volunteers. Conclusion: PRL, PRLR, and PIP are found in the lacrimal apparatus and on the ocular surface. PIP, but not PRL, is present in human tears and appears to be involved in the physiology of tear film quality. Our clinical data revealed that PIP may affect tear quality, but further functional analyses are needed to fully elucidate the effects of PRL and PIP-associated factors in tear secretion as well as in the connection of DED.
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