The Analysis of Human Tear Proteins Using Protein Electrophoresis.

Jung, Kyung Soo; Yoo, Yong Seok; Rhim, Chang Hyun

Original Article

Journal of the Korean Ophthalmological Society 1997;38(6):907-912.
Published online June 1, 1997.

The Analysis of Human Tear Proteins Using Protein Electrophoresis.

Kyung Soo Jung, Yong Seok Yoo, Chang Hyun Rhim

¹Department of Ophthalmology, Wallace Memorial Baptist Hospital, Pusan, Korea.
²Department of Clinical Pathology, Wallace Memorial Baptist Hospital, Pusan, Korea.

단백전기영동법을 이용한 정상인의 눈물단백질 분석

정경수(Kyung Soo Jung),유영석(Young Suk Yu),임창현(Chang Hyun Rhim)

Abstract

The proportion of tear proteins is different markedly in various ocular diseases, so its measurement may be of considerable diagnostic value in certain ocular conditions. We studied prospectively proportion of tear proteins in 50 normal adult Koreans. 25 male and 25 female, by using protein electrophoresis. Four fractions were demonstrated by protein electrophoresis using cellulose acetate membrane: Fraction 1 represents as tear-specific prealbumin(TSP1) and albumin, fraction 2 as other tear-specific prealbumin(TSP2), fraction 3 as lactotransferrin and immunoglobulin, and fraction 4 as lysozyme. In this study, the proportion of tear proteins in fraction 1 to 4 were 33.4%, 1.1%, 44.2%, and 21.2% respectively. With age, the proportion of fraction 4 decreased, and its decrease was not statistically significant difference. There was no statistically significant difference between age groups in fractions 1,2 or 3. Difference of proportion of tear proteins between the sex was not statistically significant in any of the fractions. Further studies on the tear proteins may be helpful in diagnosing some ocular conditions.

Key Words: protein electrophoresis;tear protein