School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of New South Wales, New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2024 Jul 1;65(8):49. doi: 10.1167/iovs.65.8.49.
The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in the composition of meibum extracted from human meibomian glands displaying different morphological characteristics.
Adult participants with evidence of meibomian gland shortening were enrolled. Glands were observed using infrared meibography, and meibum was collected from one short and one long gland from the lower eyelid of the same eye. Total protein concentration was evaluated using the detergent compatible (DC) protein assay and lipid analysis was performed using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry.
Fifteen participants (8 women and 7 men) completed the study (mean age = 34.7 ± 7.7 years). The average volume of meibum collected from the short and long glands was 0.02 ± 0.01 and 0.05 ± 0.03 µL, respectively (P = 0.01). Average protein concentration in the short glands was significantly higher compared to the long glands (0.10 ± 0.03 vs. 0.08 ± 0.02 mg/mL, P = 0.01). Among the non-polar lipids, the mole percent of cholesterol esters (CEs; P = 0.02), triacylglycerols (TAGs; P = 0.04), and ceramide (Cer; P = 0.03) was significantly lower in short glands compared with long glands. Among the polar lipids, the mole percent of (O-acyl)-ω-hydroxy fatty acid (OAHFA; P = 0.01) was significantly lower in short glands, whereas phosphatidylcholine (PC; P = 0.02) and sphingomyelin (SM; P = 0.01) were significantly higher in short glands than long glands.
Meibum composition differed between short and long glands. The lower mole percent of CE, TAG, OAHFA, and Cer and a higher mole percent of PC and SM among short glands may indicate disease activity. This information may clarify the natural history of meibomian gland dysfunction and future targets for therapy.
本研究旨在探讨形态不同的人睑板腺中提取的睑脂组成的差异。
纳入有睑板腺缩短证据的成年参与者。使用红外睑板腺照相术观察腺体，并从同一只眼的下眼睑的一个短腺和一个长腺中采集睑脂。使用去污剂兼容（DC）蛋白测定法评估总蛋白浓度，并使用液相色谱-质谱法进行脂质分析。
15 名参与者（8 名女性和 7 名男性）完成了研究（平均年龄=34.7±7.7 岁）。从短腺和长腺采集的睑脂体积分别为 0.02±0.01 和 0.05±0.03 µL（P=0.01）。短腺中的平均蛋白浓度明显高于长腺（0.10±0.03 与 0.08±0.02 mg/mL，P=0.01）。在非极性脂质中，胆固醇酯（CE；P=0.02）、三酰甘油（TAG；P=0.04）和神经酰胺（Cer；P=0.03）的摩尔百分比在短腺中明显低于长腺。在极性脂质中，（O-酰基）-ω-羟基脂肪酸（OAHFA；P=0.01）的摩尔百分比在短腺中明显较低，而短腺中的磷脂酰胆碱（PC；P=0.02）和鞘磷脂（SM；P=0.01）的摩尔百分比明显高于长腺。
短腺和长腺的睑脂组成不同。短腺中 CE、TAG、OAHFA 和 Cer 的摩尔百分比较低，而 PC 和 SM 的摩尔百分比较高，这可能表明疾病活动度较高。这些信息可能阐明了睑板腺功能障碍的自然史和未来的治疗靶点。
