Tanaka Hideko, Harauma Akiko, Takimoto Mao, Moriguchi Toru
Laboratory for Functional Analysis of Marine Materials, School of Life and Environmental Science, Azabu University, 1-17-71, Fuchinobe, Chuou, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-5201, Japan.
Laboratory of Food and Nutritional Science, Department of Food and Life Science, School of Life and Environmental Science, Azabu University, 1-17-71, Fuchinobe, Chuou, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-5201, Japan.
Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids. 2015 Jun;97:1-6. doi: 10.1016/j.plefa.2015.02.004. Epub 2015 Mar 5.
In our previously study, we reported lower tear volume in with an n-3 fatty acid deficient mice and that the docosahexaenoic acid and total n-3 fatty acid levels in these mice are significantly reduced in the meibomian gland, which secretes an oily tear product. Furthermore, we noted very long chain fatty acids (≥25 carbons) in the meibomian gland. To verify the detailed mechanism of the low tear volume in the n-3 fatty acid-deficient mice, we identified the very long chain fatty acids in the meibomian gland, measured the fatty acid composition in the tear product. Very long chain fatty acids were found to exist as monoesters. In particular, very long chain fatty acids with 25-29 carbons existed for the most part as iso or anteiso branched-chain fatty acids. n-3 fatty acid deficiency was decreased the amount of meibum secretion from meibomian gland without change of fatty acid composition. These results suggest that the n-3 fatty acid deficiency causes the enhancement of evaporation of tear film by reducing oily tear secretion along with the decrease of meibomian gland function.
在我们之前的研究中，我们报道了n-3脂肪酸缺乏的小鼠泪液量较低，并且这些小鼠睑板腺中二十二碳六烯酸和总n-3脂肪酸水平显著降低，睑板腺分泌油性泪液产物。此外，我们在睑板腺中发现了极长链脂肪酸（≥25个碳原子）。为了验证n-3脂肪酸缺乏小鼠泪液量低的详细机制，我们鉴定了睑板腺中的极长链脂肪酸，测量了泪液产物中的脂肪酸组成。发现极长链脂肪酸以单酯形式存在。特别是，含有25-29个碳原子的极长链脂肪酸大部分以异或反异支链脂肪酸形式存在。n-3脂肪酸缺乏减少了睑板腺睑脂分泌量，而脂肪酸组成没有变化。这些结果表明，n-3脂肪酸缺乏通过减少油性泪液分泌以及睑板腺功能下降导致泪膜蒸发增强。
