Abstract
Purpose: :
To determine whether exposure to sodium hydroxide results in predictable changes in phospholipids in corneal tissue. To determine whether phospholipid profile changes correlate to exposure duration.
Methods: :
Enucleated bovine (n= 40) and cadaver human eyes (n= 6) were procured from Just Meats, Chillicothe, Ohio and Florida Lion Eye Bank, Miami, Florida respectively and exposed to 0 (control), 0.2, 0.5 and 11M sodium hydroxide. The corneas were excised and lipids were extracted using the Bligh and Dyer method, and re-suspended in Isoproyl, Acetonitrile solution. Shotgun lipidomic was performed with a TSQ Quantum Access Max instrument. Briefly, positive mode precursor ion scan (PIS) for phosphocholines (PC; product m/z of 184) and negative mode PIS for phosphoinositol (PI; product m/z 241), phosphoethanolamine (PE; product m/z of 196) and neutral loss scan (NLS) for phosphoserine (PS; NL of 87.1) was used. The samples were infused and scanned for one minute between 200 m/z to 1000 m/z. Ratiometric quantification was performed using quantitative standards for each lipid class. This research adhered to ARVO statement for use of animals in research and Helsinki Declaration.
Results: :
We found degradation of phospholipids of all classes: Phosphocholines, Phosphoethanolamines, Phosphoserines and Phosphoinositols. Furthermore, duration of exposure provided different amounts of lysophospholipids likely to be the product of phospholipids.
Conclusions: :
Alkali exposure duration does indeed modify the corneal lipid profile.
Keywords: cornea: basic science • trauma • wound healing