Abstract
Purpose :
To analyze the composition of meibum according to dry eye type classified by tear film interferometer and investigate the physiological meanings.
Methods :
Ninty-seven subjects (3 normal subjects, and 94 dry eye patients) were enrolled in this study. We measured tear film interferometry (DR-1α, Kowa, Japan) and classified the subjects into three groups (Pearl group, Jupiter group, and Crystal group). Forty subjects were classified into Jupiter group, 54 subjects were classified into Crystal group, and 3 subjects were classified into Pearl group. We obtained meibum by squeezing of meibomian gland of the subjects. We analyzed the composition of obtained meibum by mass spectrometry.
Results :
Cholesterol ester (20:1), Phosphatidic acid (PA) (32:3), and PA (30:0) increased, while Phosphatidyl serin (34:2), Lysophosphatidylethanolamine (LPE) (20:2), and LPE (18:2) decreased in the Jupiter groups than the Pearl group. PA (30:0), Lysophosphatidic acid(LPA) (22:3), PA (28:0) increased, while PA (28:4), PA (32:3), Sphingosine-1-phosphate(SO1P) (d16:1) decreased in the Crystal group comparing with the Pearl group. Cholesterol ester, Phosphatidyl serine, and Waxester increased, while Diacylglycerol, Phosphatidylcholine, Lysophosphatidylglycerol decreased in the Crystal group when comparing with the Jupiter group.
Conclusions :
We found that the composition of meibum is different according to the types of dry eye by analyzing obtained meibum with mass spectrometry. Supplementation of deficient lipid constituent can be a new paradigm in dry eye treatment.
This is an abstract that was submitted for the 2018 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Honolulu, Hawaii, April 29 - May 3, 2018.