Topical application of nucleotides increase lysozyme levels in tears

Original Research

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Authors: Assumpta Peral, Patricia Loma, Benjamin Yerxa, Jesús Pintor

Published Date July 2008 Volume 2008:2(2) Pages 261 - 267

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/OPTH.S3752

Assumpta Peral¹, Patricia Loma², Benjamin Yerxa³, Jesús Pintor²

¹Departamento de Óptica II (Optometría y Visión), Escuela Universitaria de Óptica, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain; ²Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular IV, Escuela Universitaria de Óptica, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain; ³Inspire Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Durham, North Carolina, USA

Abstract: The present work studies the effects of topical application of nucleotides on rabbit tear lysozyme levels. Lysozyme values were determined by the diffusion in Agar method described by van Bijsterveld in 1974, and the protein amount was obtained by measuring the inhibitory halos around a Whatman nº1 paper disc of 5 mm in diameter. The tested nucleotides were UTP, Ap₄A and Up₄U. These compounds were topically instilled in a single-dose in one eye (with the contralateral eye as a control) and the lysozyme halos were measured along 5 hours. The obtained results showed an increase in the lysozyme concentrations of 67%, 93%, and 119% for UTP, Ap₄A, and Up₄U, respectively, over the basal levels of lysozyme. For this reason, we suggest these molecules as a potential treatment for the reinforcement of the tear film barrier against ocular infection.

Keywords: lysozyme, nucleotides, tear film, ocular infection, ocular protection, ocular surface

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