This invention provides a method of inducing a lacrimal acinar cell in a tissue to degrade a secretory vesicle and its content protein or proteins from the trans-Golgi network (TGN) by contacting the cells with an effective amount of an agent that induces autophagy. Also provided is a method for treating a mammal suffering from defective trans-Golgi network-secretory vesicle (TGN-SV) sorting by administering to the mammal an effective amount of an agent that induces autophagy in the tissue having the defective TGN-SV.
