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A comparison of basal and eye‐flush tears for the analysis of cat tear proteins
Author(s) -
Petznick Andrea,
Evans Margaret D. M.,
Madigan Michele C.,
Markoulli Maria,
Garrett Qian,
Sweeney Deborah F.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
acta ophthalmologica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.534
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1755-3768
pISSN - 1755-375X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1755-3768.2010.02082.x
Subject(s) - tears , artificial tears , ophthalmology , basal (medicine) , saline , medicine , anatomy , surgery , insulin
Acta Ophthalmol. 2011: 89: e75–e81 Abstract. Purpose: To identify a rapid and effective tear collection method providing sufficient tear volume and total protein content (TPC) for analysis of individual proteins in cats. Methods: Domestic adult short‐haired cats (12–37 months; 2.7–6.6 kg) were used in the study. Basal tears without stimulation and eye‐flush tears after instillation of saline (10 μl) were collected using microcapillary tubes from animal eyes either unwounded control or wounded with 9‐mm central epithelial debridement giving four groups with n = 3. Tear comparisons were based on total time and rate for tear collection, TPC using micro bicinchoninic acid (BCA), tear immunoglobulin A (IgA), total matrix‐metalloproteinase (MMP)‐9 concentration using sandwich enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and MMP‐9 activity. Results: Eye‐flush tears were collected significantly faster than basal tears in wounded eyes with higher rates for tear collection in unwounded control and wounded eyes. TPC was significantly lower in eye‐flush tears compared to basal tears. The relative proportion of tear IgA normalized to TPC (% IgA of TPC) was not significantly different between basal and eye‐flush tears. In unwounded control eyes, MMP‐9 was slightly higher in eye‐flush than in basal tears; activity of MMP‐9 in both tear types was similar. In wounded eyes, eye‐flush tears showed highest MMP‐9 levels and activity on Day 1, which subsequently decreased to Day 7. MMP‐9 activity in basal tears from wounded eyes did not display changes in expression. Conclusions: Eye‐flush tears can be collected rapidly providing sufficient tear volume and TPC. This study also indicates that eye‐flush tears may be more suitable than basal tears for the analysis of MMPs following corneal wounding.