ESCRS - FP22.08 - Using Tear Fluid For Metabolic Phenotyping In Healthy Subjects And Patients With Type 2 Diabetes

Using Tear Fluid For Metabolic Phenotyping In Healthy Subjects And Patients With Type 2 Diabetes

Published 2023 - 41st Congress of the ESCRS

Reference: FP22.08 | Type: Free paper | DOI: 10.82333/zh66-8z21

Authors: Nikolaus Hommer* 1 , Julia Brunmair 2 , Andrea Bileck 2 , Doreen Schmidl 3 , Gerhard Hagn 2 , Samuel Meier‑Menches 2 , Andreas Schlatter 1 , Christopher Gerner 2 , Gerhard Garhöfer 3

1Department of Clinical Pharmacology,Medical University of Vienna,Vienna,Austria;Department of Ophthamology,Hanusch Hospital,Vienna,Austria, 2Department of Analytical Chemistry,University of Vienna,Vienna,Austria, 3Department of Clinical Pharmacology,Medical University of Vienna,Vienna,Austria

Purpose

Metabolomics analysis makes it possible to detect biomarker signatures that can be helpful in the diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of systemic and ocular diseases. It has been hypothesized that instead of blood samples tear fluid may be used for the non-invasive metabolomic phenotyping. In the present study, we investigated the metabolic composition of human tears in order to identify possible biomarkers in patients with type 2 diabetes

Setting

  • Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
  • Department of Ophthamology, Vienna Institute for Research in Ocular Surgery – Karl Landsteiner Institute, Hanusch Hospital, Vienna, Austria
  • Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.

Methods

To obtain samples, tears were collected from 20 healthy subjects using commercially available Schirmer strips. A high-resolution mass spectrometry method was used in conjunction with liquid chromatography to extract and analyze tear fluid. In addition, we performed a clinical pilot study including 8 diabetic patients and compared them to 19 healthy subjects.

Results

Tear fluid was found to be a rich source for metabolic phenotyping as several molecules, including creatine and taurine were found significantly enriched. Moreover, accumulation of other metabolites such as kahweol and various eicosanoids were exclusively detectable in tears. In diabetics, the pilot study showed that many endogenous metabolites previously associated with type 2 diabetes such as carnitine, tyrosine, uric acid, and valine were significantly increased in tear fluid. There was also an increase in nicotinic acid and taurine in the diabetic cohort, which may represent new biomarkers for diabetes.

Conclusions

The results of the present study confirm that several marker molecules can be detected in the human tear fluid that have the potential to be used as biomarkers in the future. Moreover, tear fluid analysis may not only provide insight into eye pathologies but may also be relevant for the prediction and monitoring of disease progression and/ or treatment of systemic disorders such as type 2 diabetes mellitus. Tear fluid analysis may also be used in pharmacokinetic studies and patient compliance control.