Glutamate levels in aqueous humor of patients with retinal artery occlusion.
OBJECTIVE
We analyzed the levels of glutamate and other amino acids in aqueous humor of patients with retinal artery occlusion (RAO) to determine whether glutamate is associated with retinal ischemia in RAO.


METHODS
Aqueous humor samples were obtained from nine RAO patients by paracentesis performed as an emergent therapeutic intervention and from nine cataract patients without other ocular disease who served as controls. Aspartic acid, glutamate, taurine, and alanine concentrations were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography.


RESULTS
The glutamate level in aqueous humor of patients with RAO (4.46 +/- 1.62 micromol/L) was significantly higher than that in controls (2.98 +/- 1.12 micromol/L) (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Elevated glutamate levels in aqueous humor may indicate diffusion of vitreous glutamate released from the damaged retina due to acute retinal ischemia in RAO. An increase in the extracellular glutamate level may play an important role in ischemic retinal damage in RAO.
Wakabayashi
Yoshihiro
Y
Department of Ophthalmology, Tokyo Medical University, 6-7-1 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0023, Japan. wbaki@tokyo-med.ac.jp
Yagihashi
Tomoyuki
T
Kezuka
Jun
J
Muramatsu
Daisuke
D
Usui
Masahiko
M
Iwasaki
Takuya
T
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000409:Alanine / Q000378:metabolism; D001082:Aqueous Humor / Q000378:metabolism*; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005260:Female; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015356:Retinal Artery Occlusion / Q000378:metabolism*; D013654:Taurine / Q000378:metabolism
D013654:Taurine; D001224:Aspartic Acid; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D000409:Alanine