This page is referenced by:

• 1 2020-05-06T00:22:06+00:00 Jacob Baker 5 plain 2020-05-08T23:43:16+00:00

  
  Type I Diabetes Mellitus Adversely Impacts Ocular Surface Glycocalyx and Mucins

  Overview: It is well known that poor treatment of diabetes causes retinopathy and cataracts. Recent evidence suggests that diabetes can have a detrimental effect on the surface of the eye. This experiment studies the effect of type I diabetes on dry eye disease and corneal defects. 
  
  Abstract: Purpose: It is well known that poor glycemic control in patients of diabetes mellitus causes retinopathy and cataract. Recent evidence suggests that diabetes mellitus can also have a detrimental impact on the anterior segment of eye. The present study was designed to examine the effect of type I diabetes mellitus on corneal glycocalyx, tear film and corneal epithelial defects.
  
  Methods: Type I diabetes was induced in C57 mice by a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (150 mg/kg). The blood glucose was monitored using a glucometer. Tear film volume was quantified using phenol red thread test. The corneas were stained using fluorescein for epithelial defects and imaged using cobalt filter slit lamp for corneal keratopathy scoring. The corneas were harvested at week 1 and week 2 and the glycocalyx was stained using wheat germ agglutinin. The stained corneas were imaged using a confocal microscope to obtain Z stack images.
  
  Results: Induction of type I diabetes after streptozotocin injection in the mice was confirmed by high blood glucose levels (>500 mg/dl). The diabetic mice showed a significant decrease in the tear volume as early as week 1 after the induction of diabetes. Slit-lamp imaging revealed a high corneal keratopathy score of 5-9 in these diabetic mice. Digital quantification of confocal images showed a 12- 20% decrease in the area of stained corneal glycocalyx in these diabetic mice. 
  
  Conclusions: Our data demonstrates that type I diabetes mellitus negatively impacts tear film, causes epithelial surface defects as revealed by corneal keratopathy and a reduction in the corneal glycocalyx. 
  
  Acknowledgements: The work was supported by an R15 grant from National Eye Institute (R15 EY02909801A1 PI Ajay Sharma). We thank Mr. Christopher Ross for his technical support.
  
  
  Zoom Link