Proteomic Profiling of Tear fluid for Potential Biomarker Discovery in Dry Eye Syndrome

Abstract

Human tears contain large number of proteins exerting significant influence on tear newlinefilm stability ocular surface integrity and visual function Proteins secreted by the newlinelacrimal glands have been shown to contribute to the dynamics of the tear film in newlineboth health and disease The possible mediators of lacrimal gland insufficiency in newlineDES includes increased levels of pro inflammatory cytokines production of auto newlineantibodies apoptosis alterations in signaling molecules hormonal imbalance and newlinemany others Therefore alterations in the proteins profile are indicative of the newlinedisease mechanism and identification of marker protein can give clues on the disease newlineseverity as well as on the underlying pathology Proteomic study using mass newlinespectrometric analysis to identify protein biomarkers further linking it to the disease newlineactivity as well as the treatment responses have been reported However there are newlinelimited studies using tear as a specimen to identify such biomarkers Dry eye newlinesyndrome DES is multi factorial diseases of the tears and ocular surface that newlineresults in symptoms of discomfort visual disturbance and tear film instability with newlinepotential damage to the ocular surface It is accompanied with increased osmolarity newlineof the tear film and inflammation Tear acts as good specimen that is non invasively newlineobtained to look for the tear protein changes in DES Moreover the prevalence of newlineDES is increasing and is ranging from 108 to 571 worldwide while the treatment newlineprotocol just involves management by using tear lubricants that are visco elastic newlineagents with no other valuable components and therefore warrants attention globally newlineTherefore the proposed study is to look for the differential expression of tear newlineproteins in DES which has a potential outcome to develop diagnostics as well as newlinetherapeutics The proposed study collected tear using Schirmers strip in the newlinerecruited DES cases as per clinical guidelines and criterions As prospective casecontrol newlinestudy age and sex matched control n73 mean age 43 ± 12 y 30 M 43 F newlineand DES cases n129 mean a.