PURPOSE: Mucins are among the many important constituents of a healthy tear film. Mucins secreted and/or associated with conjunctival goblet cells, ocular mucosal epithelial cells, and the lacrimal gland must work together to create a stable tear film. Although many studies have explored the mechanism(s) whereby mucins maintain and protect the ocular surface, the effects of @entity936 on the structure and function of ocular mucins are unclear. Here, we summarize current findings regarding ocular mucins and how they are altered in @entity936 . METHODS: We performed a literature review of studies exploring the expression of mucins produced and/or associated with tissues that comprise the lacrimal functional unit and how they are altered in @entity936 . We also summarize new insights on the immune-mediated effects of @entity937 on ocular surface mucins that we discovered using a @entity19 model of @entity936 . RESULTS: Although consistent decreases in @entity30927 and altered expression of membrane-bound mucins have been noted in both Sj  gren and non-Sj  gren @entity936 , many reports of altered mucins in @entity936 are contradictory. Mechanistic studies, including our own, suggest that changes in the glycosylation of mucins rather than the proteins themselves may occur as the direct result of local @entity32 induced by proinflammatory mediators, such as interleukin-1. CONCLUSIONS: Altered expression of ocular mucins in @entity936 varies considerably from study to study, likely attributed to inherent difficulties in analyzing small-volume tear samples, as well as differences in tear collection methods and disease severity in @entity936 . To better define the functional role of ocular mucin glycosylation in the pathogenesis of @entity2194 , we propose genomic and proteomic studies along with biological pathway analysis to reveal novel avenues for exploration.

Altered Mucin and Glycoprotein Expression in XXXX .

@entity32 :: ('MESH:D007249', 'Disease') :: ['inflammation'] @entity2194 :: ('MESH:D005128', 'Disease') :: ['dry eye disease'] @entity30927 :: ('17833(Tax:10090)', 'Gene') :: ['MUC5AC'] @entity937 :: ('MESH:D012167', 'Disease') :: ['aqueous tear deficiency'] @entity19 :: ('10090', 'Species') :: ['mouse'] @entity936 :: ('MESH:D015352', 'Disease') :: ['dry eye cohorts', 'dry eye']
@entity2194 :: (MESH:D005128,Disease) :: ['Dry Eye Disease']
