Secretory IgA epitopes in basal tears of extended-wear soft contact lens wearers and in non-lens wearers.
OBJECTIVE
To determine secretory IgA epitopes in tears of extended-wear soft contact lens wearers and non-wearing controls.


METHODS
We developed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) to determine the tear concentrations of two epitopes of secretory IgA, the IgA alpha-chain and the secretory component. These epitopes were measured in basal tears of 20 individuals in 6 nights of extended wear of etafilcon A soft contact lenses and in 19 non-lens-wearing individuals.


RESULTS
Levels of IgA alpha-chain immunoreactivity were significantly decreased in the lens-wearing group compared to non-lens wearers. However, the level of secretory component immunoreactivity was not significantly different between groups. IgA alpha-chain and secretory component immunoreactvity were highly correlated; however, some samples showed a marked variation between these two values.


CONCLUSIONS
Tear concentrations of sIgA epitopes are significantly reduced in extended-wear contact lens wearers, and may contribute to the increased susceptibility to ocular infection seen in this group.
Pearce
D J
DJ
The Cooperative Research Centre for Eye Research and Technology, Randwick, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. dpea@cclru.unsw.edu.au
Demirci
G
G
Willcox
M D
MD
D000328:Adult; D003262:Contact Lenses, Extended-Wear; D003263:Contact Lenses, Hydrophilic; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D000939:Epitopes / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007071:Immunoglobulin A, Secretory / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology*; D007137:Immunoglobulin alpha-Chains / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D013666:Tears / Q000737:chemistry*
D000939:Epitopes; D007071:Immunoglobulin A, Secretory; D007137:Immunoglobulin alpha-Chains