| Objective:The tears of diabetic keratopathy patients and diabetic patients without diabetic keratopathy were analyzed by 4D-Label free mass spectrometry to find the different proteins in tears of the two groups of patients and the possible related pathways.Methods:Thirty-three diabetic retinopathy(DR)patients were included and divided into case group(DK group)and control group(DR group without DK)according to the presence of diabetic keratopathy(DK).Schirmer strips were used to collect tears from the two groups,respectively.Total proteins were extracted from the tears of the two groups on the premise that there were no significant differences in the general features and dry eye related features such as ocular surface analysis,conjunctival imprinting cytology and tear fern test,and the differential proteins were screened by 4D-Label free mass spectrometry.GO annotation and GO enrichment analysis were carried out for differential proteins through GO database,KEGG enrichment analysis was carried out for differential proteins through KEGG database,and protein interaction network was drawn for the screened differential proteins.Results:1.A total of 33 cases were included,including 22 cases in the case group and 11 cases in the control group.There was no significant difference in the general characteristics and dry eye related characteristics between the two groups.Protein in tears collected by Schirmer strips did not degrade.2.Compared with the control group,313 differentially expressed proteins were screened in tears of diabetic keratopathy patients,including 156 up-regulated proteins and 157 down-regulated proteins.3.GO annotation found that the differential proteins were mainly distributed in biological process regulation,organic metabolism regulation,cell metabolism regulation,etc.GO enrichment analysis found that the differential proteins were mainly involved in mRNA catabolism,nuclear transcribed mRNA catabolism,receptor-mediated endocytosis,etc.4.KEGG enrichment analysis showed that the differential proteins may be involved in arginine biosynthesis,ECM-receptor interaction,lysosome and other related pathways.5.Based on the protein interaction network,we hypothesized that VDAC3 as a sensor of ROS could be used as a tear biomarker in patients with diabetic keratopathy.Conclusions:1.The protein expression pattern of tears in diabetic keratopathy patients was significantly changed.2.Diabetic keratopathy may affect a variety of signaling pathways such as arginine-related pathway,ECM-receptor interaction and lysosomes. |
