Proteomic characteristics of the aqueous humor in Uyghur patients with pseudoexfoliation syndrome and pseudoexfoliative glaucoma

Zhao Xu; Yin Ke; Qiang Feng; Ayiguzaili Tuerdimaimaiti; Dandan Zhang; Lijie Dong; Aihua Liu

doi:10.1016/j.exer.2024.109903

Proteomic characteristics of the aqueous humor in Uyghur patients with pseudoexfoliation syndrome and pseudoexfoliative glaucoma

Exp Eye Res. 2024 Apr 18:243:109903. doi: 10.1016/j.exer.2024.109903. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Zhao Xu¹, Yin Ke¹, Qiang Feng², Ayiguzaili Tuerdimaimaiti², Dandan Zhang², Lijie Dong³, Aihua Liu⁴

Affiliations

¹ Tianjin Key Laboratory of Retinal Functions and Diseases, Tianjin Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Disease, Eye Institute and School of Optometry, Tianjin Medical University Eye Hospital, Tianjin, China.
² Ophthalmology Department of People's Hospital of Hotan District, Xinjiang, China.
³ Tianjin Key Laboratory of Retinal Functions and Diseases, Tianjin Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Disease, Eye Institute and School of Optometry, Tianjin Medical University Eye Hospital, Tianjin, China. Electronic address: aitaomubang@126.com.
⁴ Tianjin Key Laboratory of Retinal Functions and Diseases, Tianjin Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Disease, Eye Institute and School of Optometry, Tianjin Medical University Eye Hospital, Tianjin, China. Electronic address: liuaihua8136@126.com.

PMID: 38642601
DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2024.109903

Abstract

Pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PEX) is characterized by the deposition of fibrous pseudoexfoliation material (PEXM) in the eye, and secondary glaucoma associated with this syndrome has a faster and more severe clinical course. The incidence of PEX and pseudoexfoliative glaucoma (PEXG) exhibits ethnic clustering; however, few proteomic studies related to PEX and PEXG have been conducted in Asian populations. Therefore, we aimed to conduct proteomic analysis on the aqueous humor (AH) obtained from Uyghur patients with cataracts, those with PEX and cataracts, and those with PEXG and cataracts to better understand the molecular mechanisms of the disease and identify its potential biomarkers. To this end, AH was collected from patients with cataracts (n = 10, control group), PEX with cataracts (n = 10, PEX group), and PEXG with cataracts (n = 10, PEXG group) during phacoemulsification. Label-free quantitative proteomic techniques combined with bioinformatics were used to identify and analyze differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) in the AH of PEX and PEXG groups. Then, independent AH samples (n = 12, each group) were collected to validate DEPs by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The PEX group exhibited 25 DEPs, while the PEXG group showed 44 DEPs, both compared to the control group. Subsequently, we found three newly identified proteins in both PEX and PEXG groups, wherein FRAS1-related extracellular matrix protein 2 (FREM2) and osteoclast-associated receptor (OSCAR) exhibited downregulation, whereas coagulation Factor IX (F9) displayed upregulation. Bioinformatics analysis suggested that extracellular matrix interactions, abnormal blood-derived proteins, and lysosomes were mainly involved in the process of PEX and PEXG, and the PPI network further revealed F9 may serve as a potential biomarker for both PEX and PEXG. In conclusion, this study provides new information for understanding the proteomics of AH in PEX and PEXG.

Keywords: Aqueous humor; Bioinformatics; Proteomics; Pseudoexfoliation syndrome; Pseudoexfoliative glaucoma; Uyghur.