Deficiency of SECTM1 impairs corneal wound healing in aging.

ABSTRACT: The corneal epithelium is the outermost transparent barrier of the eyeball and undergoes continuous self-renewal by limbal stem cells (LSCs) during its lifetime; however, the impact of aging on LSCs remains largely unknown. Here, we showed that the healing ability of the cornea in elderly macaques (Macaca fascicularis) was significantly decreased compared to that of younger macaques. This delayed wound closure accompanied a disordered cell arrangement and corneal opacity. A novel cytokine, Secreted and Transmembrane 1 (SECTM1), was found to facilitate corneal healing and was upregulated in young macaques upon wounding. Mechanistically, SECTM1 is essential for LSC migration and proliferation, and may partially function through Cell Division Cycle Associated 7 (CDCA7). Notably, the topical a

SUBMITTER: Zhu J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11464118 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature