Zinc Finger Protein in Severe Dry Eye Syndrome

Abstract

 

Purpose

 

Zinc finger protein known to induce squamous metaplasia and regulate vitamin A expression has been few investigated as tear protein. We investigated tear protein variations in patients with dry eye syndrome (DES).

 

Methods

 

Tears from healthy subjects as control and patients with DES were collected. Tear proteins were separated by one-dimensional electrophoresis. The protein bands were analyzed by nano liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.

 

Results

 

Compared to the controls, significant down-regulation of lactoferrin and lysozyme was detected, while significant up-regulation was observed for serum albumin in patients with DES. DES grade 4 patients showed different protein patterns. Zinc-finger motif-enhancer binding-protein-1 gamma and bromodomain adjacent to zinc finger domain 2B were detected in DES grade 4 patients.

 

Conclusions

 

Tear protein changes are valuable to diagnosis DES. Zinc finger proteins may be associated with pathophysiology of severe DES. Further studies are needed to better understand the relationship of zinc finger proteins in tear of patients with DES.

 

 

One-dimensional electrophoresis gel of coomassie stained proteins. All lane contain 30 mg of total protein precipitated from tears collected by capillary. Protein band C was only observed in tears of DES grade 4 patients. (A) Lactoferrin; (B) lysozyme; (C) serum albumin, zinc-finger motif-enhancer binding-protein-1 gamma and bromodomain adjacent to zinc finger domain 2B.

 

 

LC-MS/MS spectra of peptide fragment representing proteins observed in DES grade 4 patients. A: Zinc-finger motif-enhancer binding-protein-1 gamma peptide ion (KMVEDRQSGDLEK); B: Bromodomain adjacent to zinc finger domain 2B peptide ion (DQDESDSDTEGEK)

 

Keywords: 486 cornea: tears/tear film/dry eye