Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL)

Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) is a 25-kDa secreted glycoprotein of the lipocalin family, encoded by the LCN2 gene. It is produced primarily by neutrophils but also expressed in kidney tubular cells, macrophages, and various epithelial tissues. NGAL is crucial in innate immunity due to its ability to bind iron-loaded bacterial siderophores, thus inhibiting bacterial growth. It exists in several forms (monomeric, homodimeric, and as a complex with MMP-9). Clinically, NGAL is a sensitive and early biomarker for acute kidney injury and is elevated in various renal and cardiovascular diseases, inflammatory states, infections, and some cancers. Its levels in plasma and urine reflect both renal and systemic pathologies, making NGAL important for diagnosis and prognosis in multiple disease contexts

Other names

Lipocalin-2LCN2Oncogene 24p3

Not applicable for therapeutics, as NGAL is not a primary drug target. Mechanistically, it works by sequestering iron through binding bacterial siderophores, preventing bacterial proliferation