title: Differential protein expression in tears of patients with primary open angle and pseudoexfoliative glaucoma.
abstract: Primary open angle (POAG) and pseudoexfoliative glaucoma (PXG) are the most common primary and secondary forms of glaucoma, respectively. Even though the patho-physiology, aqueous humor composition, risk factors, clinical features, therapy and drug induced ocular surface changes in POAG and PXG have been widely studied, to date information concerning tear protein characterization is lacking. Tears are a source of nourishment for ocular surface tissues and a vehicle to remove local waste products, metabolized drugs and inflammatory mediators produced in several ophthalmic diseases. In glaucoma, the proteomic definition of tears may provide insights concerning patho-physiology of the disease and ocular surface modifications induced by topical therapy. Our study aimed at characterizing protein patterns in tears of patients with medically controlled POAG and PXG. A comparative tears proteomic analysis by label-free LC-MS(E) highlighted differences in the expression of several proteins in the two glaucoma sub-types and control subjects, highlighting inflammation pathways expressed in both diseases. Results were independently reconfirmed by SDS-PAGE and linear MALDI-TOF MS, validating altered levels of Lysozyme C, Lipocalin-1, Protein S100, Immunoglobulins and Prolactin Inducible Protein. Moreover, we found a differential pattern of phosphorylated Cystatin-S that distinguishes the two pathologies. The most relevant results suggest that in both pathologies there may be active inflammation pathways related to the disease and/or induced by therapy. We show, for the first time, tear protein patterns expressed under controlled intraocular pressure conditions in POAG and PXG subjects. These findings could help in the understanding of molecular machinery underlying these ophthalmologic diseases, resulting in early diagnosis and more specific therapy.
authors: Department of Biomedical Sciences, University G. d'Annunzio of Chieti-Pescara, Via dei Vestini, 66100 Chieti, Italy. dpieragostino@unich.it
authors: Damiana
authors: D
authors: Pieragostino
authors: Sonia
authors: S
authors: Bucci
authors: Luca
authors: L
authors: Agnifili
authors: Vincenzo
authors: V
authors: Fasanella
authors: Simona
authors: S
authors: D'Aguanno
authors: Alessandra
authors: A
authors: Mastropasqua
authors: Marco
authors: M
authors: Ciancaglini
authors: Leonardo
authors: L
authors: Mastropasqua
authors: Carmine
authors: C
authors: Di Ilio
authors: Paolo
authors: P
authors: Sacchetta
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Urbani
authors: Piero
authors: P
authors: Del Boccio
mesh_terms: D001082:Aqueous Humor / Q000737:chemistry; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005123:Eye / Q000503:physiopathology; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005819:Genetic Markers; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D040081:Protein Array Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D020543:Proteome / Q000032:analysis*; D040901:Proteomics / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry; D013666:Tears / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D005136:Eye Proteins; D005819:Genetic Markers; D020543:Proteome; C042434:tear proteins