Wax-tear and meibum protein, wax-β-carotene interactions in vitro using infrared spectroscopy.
Abstract
Protein-meibum and terpenoids-meibum lipid interactions could be important in the etiology of meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) and dry eye symptoms. In the current model studies, attenuated total reflectance (ATR) infrared (IR) spectroscopy was used to determine if the terpenoid β-carotene and the major proteins in tears and meibum affect the hydrocarbon chain conformation and carbonyl environment of wax, an abundant component of meibum. The main finding of these studies is that mucin binding to wax disordered slightly the conformation of the hydrocarbon chains of wax and caused the wax carbonyls to become hydrogen bonded or experience a more hydrophilic environment. Lysozyme and lactoglobulin, two proteins shown to bind to monolayers of meibum, did not have such an effect. Keratin and β-carotene did not affect the fluidity (viscosity) or environment of the carbonyl moieties of wax. Based on these results, tetraterpenoids are not likely to influence the structure of meibum in the meibomian glands. In addition, these findings suggest that it is unlikely that keratin blocks meibomian glands by causing the meibum to become more viscous. Among the tear fluid proteins studied, mucin is the most likely to influence the conformation ...Continue Reading
References
Phospholipid phase transitions in model and biological membranes as studied by infrared spectroscopy
Citations
Related Concepts
Related Feeds
Bacterial Cell Wall Structure
Bacterial cell walls are made of peptidoglycan (also called murein), which is made from polysaccharide chains cross-linked by unusual peptides containing D-amino acids. Here is the latest research on bacterial cell wall structures.
Bacterial Cell Wall Structure (ASM)
Bacterial cell walls are made of peptidoglycan (also called murein), which is made from polysaccharide chains cross-linked by unusual peptides containing D-amino acids. Here is the latest research on bacterial cell wall structures.