@article {382451,
	title = {Alteration of galectin-3 in tears of patients with dry eye disease.},
	journal = {Am J Ophthalmol},
	volume = {159},
	number = {6},
	year = {2015},
	month = {2015 Jun},
	pages = {1027-1035.e3},
	abstract = {PURPOSE: To investigate the expression, release, and proteolytic degradation of galectin-3 in patients with dry eye disease. DESIGN: Observational case series with a comparison group. METHODS: Tear washes and conjunctival impression cytology specimens were collected through standard procedures from 16 patients with dry eye and 11 age-matched healthy subjects. Galectin-3 content in tears was analyzed by quantitative Western blot, using recombinant galectin-3 protein to generate a calibration curve. The relative expression of galectin-3 and matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) was evaluated by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The cleavage of galectin-3 was studied in\&nbsp;vitro using activated recombinant MMP9 and protease inhibitors. RESULTS: The concentration of galectin-3 protein in tears, but not galectin-3 expression in conjunctival epithelium, was significantly higher in tears of patients with dry eye (0.38\&nbsp;ng/μg total protein, range 0.04-1.36) compared to healthy subjects (0.12\&nbsp;ng/μg total protein, range 0.00-0.41) (P \&lt; .01). By Western blot, an intact (\~{}28.0\&nbsp;kDa) galectin-3 band was identified in tear samples from healthy subjects, whereas 50\% of the dry eye samples were characterized by the additional presence of a partially degraded form (\~{}25.4\&nbsp;kDa). In our experiments, elevated expression of MMP9 in dry eye subjects correlated with the ability of active MMP9 to cleave galectin-3 from recombinant origin. Interestingly, cleavage of endogenous galectin-3 in tear samples was impaired using a broad-spectrum proteinase inhibitor cocktail, but not the pan-specific MMP inhibitor GM6001, suggesting the presence of proteases other than MMPs in promoting galectin-3 degradation in dry eye. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that release of cellular galectin-3 into tears is associated with epithelial dysfunction in dry eye, and that galectin-3 proteolytic cleavage may contribute to impaired ocular surface barrier function.},
	issn = {1879-1891},
	doi = {10.1016/j.ajo.2015.02.008},
	author = {Uchino, Yuichi and Mauris, Jerome and Woodward, Ashley M and Dieckow, Julia and Amparo, Francisco and Dana, Reza and Mantelli, Flavio and Arg{\"u}eso, Pablo}
}
