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Abstract #18416 Published in IGR 3-3
Analysis of aqueous humour proteins of eyes with and without pseudoexfoliation syndrome
Berlau J; Lorenz P; Beck R; Makovitzky J; Schlötzer-Schrehardt U; Thiesen HJ; Guthoff RGraefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology 2001; 239: 743-746
Pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PEX) has been suggested to represent blood-aqueous barrier impairment leading to a higher protein content in the aqueous humor of eyes with PEX. However, the nature of a prospective PEX protein has not yet been described. The authors set out to re-evaluate protein content and to examine protein composition for prospective PEX protein candidates in the aqueous humor of eyes with PEX syndrome. The aqueous humor of 52 patients with PEX and 38 without PEX signs was sampled during cataract or glaucoma surgery. Total aqueous protein concentration in the samples was analyzed in 43 PEX and 32 non-PEX specimens, according to Bradford. The aqueous protein composition of all samples was determined by sodium dodecylsulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS PAGE) and silver staining. Screening for amyloids was performed in nine PEX and six non-PEX samples by Congo red staining and polarized light microscopy. The aqueous protein concentration was not significantly increased in PEX eyes compared to non-PEX eyes. Furthermore, no characteristic difference was detected in protein band sizes of the two groups after SDS PAGE. However, the presence of amyloid was demonstrated exclusively in the aqueous humor of PEX patients. CONCLUSIONS: These results do not confirm a generally higher protein concentration in PEX eyes. This does not necessarily contradict blood-aqueous barrier impairment, but illustrates the variance in protein concentration between and within the two groups. No characteristic protein band allocatable to PEX proteins could be detected in any of the samples. However, the findings support the theory that PEX is associated with an amyloid of a serum protein.
Dr J. Berlau, Institute for Nutritional Science, Department of Nutritional Toxicology, Friedrich-Schiller University of Jena, Dornburger Strasse 25, 07743, Jena, Germany. erlau@mampf.ieu.uni-jena.de
Classification:
9.4.4.1 Exfoliation syndrome (Part of: 9 Clinical forms of glaucomas > 9.4 Glaucomas associated with other ocular and systemic disorders > 9.4.4 Glaucomas associated with disorders of the lens)