Elevated levels of human alpha -defensin in tears of patients with allergic conjunctival disease complicated by corneal lesions: detection by SELDI ProteinChip system and quantification.
OBJECTIVE
To analyze levels of alpha -defensin in the tears of allergic patients (with/without corneal lesions) comparing the results with those of normal control subjects.


METHODS
Screening of the protein profiles of the tears of allergic patients with corneal epithelial lesions and normal controls was performed by surface enhanced laser desorption/ionization (SELDI) ProteinChip array initially. ELISA was then performed to quantify the levels of alpha -defensin in the tears of allergic patients (with/without corneal epithelial lesions) and normal control patients.


RESULTS
Proteins expressing significant differences between patients and controls by SELDI analysis were examined. Several peptides with molecular weights similar to alpha -defensins were found to be expressed to a greater extent in allergic patients. ELISA was performed in tears of allergic patients and control subjects to ascertain the presence and increased expression of alpha -defensins in allergic patients. Concentrations of alpha -defensins in allergic patients with corneal epithelial lesions were significantly higher than those of allergic patients without epithelial lesions or normal controls.


CONCLUSIONS
Alpha-defensins were found in greater concentrations in tears of allergic patients with corneal lesions. The antimicrobial effects of alpha -defensins may play a role in the prevention of secondary infection of corneal lesions in allergic patients. SELDI ProteinChip technology is a useful and effective tool in profiling the differential expression of proteins in tears.
Hida
Richard Y
RY
Department of Ophthalmology, Tokyo Dental College, Chiba, Japan.
Ohashi
Yoshiki
Y
Takano
Yoji
Y
Dogru
Murat
M
Goto
Eiki
E
Fujishima
Hiroshi
H
Saito
Ichiro
I
Saito
Kenji
K
Fukase
Yu
Y
Tsubota
Kazuo
K
D003233:Conjunctivitis, Allergic / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D040081:Protein Array Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D013666:Tears / Q000378:metabolism*; D023084:alpha-Defensins / Q000378:metabolism*
D005136:Eye Proteins; D023084:alpha-Defensins; C042434:tear proteins