Tear Film Amphiphilic and Anti-Inflammatory Lipids in Bovine Pink Eye.

Background

Tear film fluid serves as a dynamic barrier that both lubricates the eye and protects against allergens and infectious agents. However, a detailed analysis of a bacteria-induced immune response on the tear film lipidome has not been undertaken.

Methods

We undertook a high-resolution mass spectrometry lipidomics analysis of endogenous anti-inflammatory and structural tear film lipids in bovine pink eye.

Results

Bovine pink eye resulted in dramatic elevations in tear fluid levels of the anti-inflammatory lipids resolvin E2, cyclic phosphatidic acid 16:0, and cyclic phosphatidic acid 18:0. In addition, there were elevated levels of the structural lipids (O-acyl)-ω-hydroxy-fatty acids, cholesterol sulfate, ethanolamine plasmalogens, and sphingomyelins. Lipid peroxidation also was augmented in pink eye as evidenced by the hydroperoxy derivatives of ethanolamine plasmalogens.

Conclusions

Ocular infections with Moraxella bovis result in the induction of a number of endogenous anti-inflammatory lipids and augmentation of the levels of structural glycerophospholipids and sphingolipids. Increased levels of hydroperoxy glycerophospholipids also indicate that this bacterial infection results in lipid peroxidation.