lactoferrin and Xerophthalmia

Approximately 3% of the patients with refractive errors wear contact lenses. Recent studies revealed contradictory results regarding the changes of the tear film in contact lens wearers. The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of wearing contact lenses on the tear protein patterns. The study was performed using a new method to analyze quantitatively the tear proteins based on digital image analysis of electrophoretical separations followed by multivariate statistical calculations.. Two groups were examined: 121 healthy volunteers (KO) and 66 wearers of soft contact lenses (KL). The tear proteins were separated by sodium dodecylsulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). For each electrophoretic lane, a densitograph was built by digital image analysis. Subsequently a multivariate analysis of discriminance was performed.. The concentration of the tear proteins lactoferrin, sIgA, lysozyme and albumin was slightly reduced. In contrast, the concentration of lipocalin was increased in the tears of contact lens wearers (p < 0.07). However, including all peaks found in each electrophoretic lane, the analysis of discriminance found a statistical significant difference between KO and KL (Wilks' Lambda = 0.88; p < 0.0001).. Wearing contact lenses leads to significant changes in the composition of tear-film proteins. However, the pathomechanism of this alteration of the tear film is still unclear. Because of the large number of contact lens wearers, these alterations should be examined further.

Topics: Albumins; Case-Control Studies; Contact Lenses, Hydrophilic; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; Female; Humans; Immunoglobulin A; Lactoferrin; Male; Muramidase; Proteins; Tears; Xerophthalmia

The concentrations of tear lysozyme, lactoferrin, ceruloplasmin, IgA, and IgG have been estimated in patients with dry eyes at the same time as semiquantitative bacterial culture was performed of the conjunctivae and lids. Staphylococcal isolations were quantified and biotyped. There was no increased conjunctival colonisation by any particular biotype of Staphylococcus aureus or Staph. epidermidis, and similar numbers of conjunctivae were sterile as in controls (33%); neither were any pathogens such as pneumococci or haemophili isolated. We consider that the conjunctiva of the dry eye, without the lacrimal secretion components of lysozyme and lactoferrin, has an alternative protective antibacterial mechanism which is derived from serum proteins via chronically inflamed vessels.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Ceruloplasmin; Conjunctiva; Eyelids; Humans; Immunoglobulin A; Immunoglobulin G; Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca; Lactoferrin; Middle Aged; Muramidase; Proteins; Staphylococcus aureus; Staphylococcus epidermidis; Tears; Xerophthalmia

An ELISA method is described for measuring the age-related changes of tear lysozyme, lactoferrin, ceruloplasmin, IgA and IgG in normal eyes. The normal levels for these proteins at each age are compared with those from patients with dry and 'questionably dry' eyes, which each have individual profiles, as well as with patients suffering from ocular pemphigoid, chronic non-ulcerative blepharitis and meibomianitis. Results of tear lysozyme assays from patients on various beta-blockers are discussed with the suggested hypothesis that stimulation of beta-receptors per se in the human lacrimal gland is not required for tear protein secretion. The importance of other proteins present in the tear fluid is reviewed.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Aging; Blepharitis; Ceruloplasmin; Eyelid Diseases; Humans; Immunoglobulin A; Immunoglobulin G; Keratoconjunctivitis; Labetalol; Lactoferrin; Middle Aged; Muramidase; Pemphigoid, Bullous; Practolol; Propranolol; Tears; Timolol; Xerophthalmia

Concentrations of lysozyme, lactoferrin, ceruloplasmin, IgA, and IgG have been measured in tears by the ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) technique. Tears were collected on weighed filter paper discs, after which they were eluted into buffer and transported frozen to a remote laboratory for assay. Patients with sicca, questionably dry eyes and ocular pemphigoid were sampled, as were 54 normal volunteers. Tear protein profiles were established which were unique for each condition and clearly differed from the normal controls. The assay developed is considered suitable for other proteins such as IgE, and could also be used for monitoring the effects of drugs on the lacrimal gland.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Ceruloplasmin; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Eye Diseases; Humans; Immunoglobulin A; Immunoglobulin G; Lactoferrin; Middle Aged; Muramidase; Pemphigoid, Bullous; Proteins; Tears; Xerophthalmia

A radial immunodiffusion assay for tear lactoferrin is described. Tear samples, collected on filter paper discs, could be applied directly to immunodiffusion plates after blotting. In 58 tear samples from healthy subjects an average lactoferrin concentration of 1.42 g/l was found. A high degree of correlation was found between the lactoferrin radial immunodiffusion and the lysozyme agar diffusion assay in a heterogeneous group, ranging from healthy subjects to patients with severe keratoconjunctivitis sicca. A lower limit of normal (0.78 g/l) could be determined for the tear lactoferrin concentration. The assay does not require laboratory facilities and therefore is an easily accessible alternative for or an addition to lacrimal gland function tests currently used.

Topics: Humans; Immunodiffusion; Lactoferrin; Lactoglobulins; Reference Values; Tears; Xerophthalmia

Unstimulated basal tears and stimulated tears were collected from normal controls, keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS) patients, and contact lens (CL) wearers. Basal tear volume (Periopaper) and reflex tear volume (Schirmer Strip) were measured and tears eluted from their respective strip with a TMED-acetic acid buffer. Lactoferrin and lysozyme concentrations were measured in the eluates. Concentration of lysozyme in basal tears was: 65 +/- 43 mg% in normals; 44 +/- 26 mg% in KCS, and 81 +/- 50 mg% in CL wearers. Concentration of lysozyme in reflex tears was: 160 +/- 73 mg% in normals, 74 +/- 41 mg% in KCS, and 186 +/- 83 mg% in CL wearers. Concentration of lactoferrin in basal tears was 137 +/- 102 mg% in normals, 154 +/- 82 mg% in KCS, and 157 +/- 80 mg% in CL wearers. Concentrations of lactoferrin in reflex tears was: 327 +/- 187 mg% in normals; 171 +/- 69 mg% in KCS, and 302 +/- 160 mg% in CL wearers. The lactoferrin concentration in all tear samples was consistently higher (1.6-3.5 times) than lysozyme. In basal tears, lactoferrin concentrations were not significantly different in the three groups. In reflex tears, however, lactoferrin was significantly lower in KCS than normal or CL wearers. The concentration of lysozyme in both basal and reflex tears was significantly lower in the KCS when compared to normal or CL wearers. Lysozyme and lactoferrin concentrations in both basal and reflex tears were similar in CL wearers and normal controls. The sampling and elution of basal and reflex tears as described appears to be a feasible technique for analysis of lysozyme and lactoferrin concentrations by the electroimmunodiffusion technique and has potential diagnostic value.

Topics: Contact Lenses; Humans; Keratoconjunctivitis; Lactoferrin; Lactoglobulins; Muramidase; Reflex; Tears; Xerophthalmia