Proteins Identified From Care Solution Extractions of Silicone Hydrogels

A Review of Techniques to Measure Protein Sorption to Soft Contact Lenses

PURPOSE

To compare and critically evaluate a variety of techniques to measure the quantity and biological activity of protein sorption to contact lenses over short time periods.

METHODS

A literature review was undertaken investigating the major techniques to measure protein sorption to soft contact lens materials, with specific reference to measuring protein directly on lenses using in situ, ex situ, protein structural, and biological activity techniques.

RESULTS

The use of in situ techniques to measure protein quantity provides excellent sensitivity, but many are not directly applicable to contact lenses. Many ex situ techniques struggle to measure all sorbed proteins, and these measurements can have significant signal interference from the lens materials themselves. Techniques measuring the secondary and tertiary structures of sorbed proteins have exhibited only limited success.

CONCLUSIONS

There are a wide variety of techniques to measure both the amount of protein and the biological activity of protein sorbed to soft contact lens materials. To measure the mass of protein sorbed to soft contact lenses (not just thin films) over short time periods, the method of choice should be I radiolabeling. This technique is sensitive enough to measure small amounts of deposited protein, provided steps are taken to limit and measure any interaction of the iodine tracer with the materials. To measure the protein activity over short time periods, the method of choice should be to measure the biological function of sorbed proteins. This may require new methods or adaptations of existing ones.

Preservation of human tear protein structure and function by a novel contact lens multipurpose solution containing protein-stabilizing agents

OBJECTIVES

Tear film proteins have antimicrobial and other functions that may be lost after denaturation during contact lens wear. A new multipurpose solution has recently become available (Biotrue, Bausch + Lomb Inc., Rochester, NY), which contains protein-stabilizing agents including hyaluronic acid, poloxamine, and sulfobetaine 10, the latter used previously as a laboratory tool to renature proteins. We examine whether this new multipurpose solution formulation can prevent the denaturation of human lactoferrin and lysozyme at physiologic levels in response to a powerful denaturing challenge.

METHODS

Human lactoferrin and lysozyme were treated with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) either with or without an investigational version of the new multipurpose solution (without its two disinfectant agents) (investigational multipurpose solution [iMPS]). The structure was assessed by native-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and fluorometry; additionally, antimicrobial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus was measured.

RESULTS

The iMPS prevented an SDS-induced shift in the native-PAGE banding position of lactoferrin. The SDS treatment substantially altered the lactoferrin DSC and fluorescence spectra, indicating that the protein had denatured. This change did not occur in the presence of iMPS. Lactoferrin and lysozyme showed antibacterial and bacteriolytic activity, which was abolished after SDS treatment; this loss of activity did not occur for proteins treated with iMPS.

CONCLUSIONS

These data clearly show that the iMPS prevents the denaturation of physiologic levels of human lactoferrin and lysozyme by the strongly denaturing surfactant SDS and that stabilized proteins retain their function. We conclude that this solution has the capacity to stabilize the structure and function of tear proteins.

Quantification of protein deposits on silicone hydrogel materials using stable-isotopic labeling and multiple reaction monitoring

This study was designed to use multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) for accurate quantification of contact lens protein deposits. Worn lenses used with a multipurpose disinfecting solution were collected after wear. Individual contact lenses were extracted and then digested with trypsin. MRM in conjunction with stable-isotope-labeled peptide standards was used for protein quantification. The results show that lysozyme was the major protein detected from both lens types. The amount of protein extracted from contact lenses was affected by the lens material. Except for keratin-1 (0.83 ± 0.61 vs 0.77 ± 0.20, p = 0.81) or proline rich protein-4 (0.11 ± 0.04 vs 0.15 ± 0.12, p = 0.97), the amounts of lysozyme, lactoferrin, or lipocalin-1 extracted from balafilcon A lenses (12.9 ± 9.01, 0.84 ± 0.50 or 2.06 ± 1.6, respectively) were significantly higher than that extracted from senofilcon A lenses (0.88 ± 0.13, 0.50 ± 0.10 or 0.27 ± 0.23, respectively) (p < 0.05). The amount of protein extracted from contact lenses was dependent on both the individual wearer and the contact lens material. This may have implications for the development of clinical responses during lens wear for different people and with different types of contact lenses. The use of MRM-MS is a powerful analytical tool for the quantification of specific proteins from single contact lenses after wear.

Comparative evaluation of multi-purpose solutions in the stabilization of tear lysozyme

The range and extent of tear proteins removed by various multi-purpose solutions has been investigated, but there is little information in the literature about their ability to prevent denaturation of tear proteins, particularly lysozyme. The purpose of this study was to determine the ability of Bausch+Lomb Biotrue™ multi-purpose solution and other care solutions to affect denaturation of lysozyme using a lysozyme activity assay. The test solutions used were: Biotrue multi-purpose solution, Bausch+Lomb renu(®) fresh™, formerly ReNu MultiPlus(®), Alcon OPTI-FREE RepleniSH, Alcon OPTI-FREE EXPRESS, CIBA VISION AQuify, and AMO COMPLETE Multi-Purpose Solution Easy Rub Formula. A phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) solution served as a control. The test and control solutions containing lysozyme were exposed to sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), a known denaturant of the enzyme. The assay was based on digestion of the cell wall of Micrococcus luteus in a suspension, a substrate sensitive to active lysozyme. Enzymatic activity against M. luteus was used to assess activity of lysozyme. The decrease in the turbidity of the cell wall suspension, a measure of relative enzyme activity, was determined by following the decrease in absorbance (at 450nm) over time using a spectrophotometer. Statistically significant greater stabilization of lysozyme was observed with Biotrue multi-purpose solution and renu fresh than with OPTI-FREE RepleniSH, OPTI-FREE EXPRESS, AQuify, COMPLETE Multi-Purpose Solution Easy Rub Formula, and a PBS control. The lysozyme activity assay revealed that Biotrue multi-purpose solution and renu fresh have the ability to stabilize lysozyme under conditions that typically denature the protein.

Impact of a rinse step on protein removal from silicone hydrogel contact lenses

PURPOSE

To determine the impact of the rinse step in "no rub" contact lens care systems relative to its ability to assist in removing loosely associated and bound tear film proteins from a worn silicone hydrogel lens.

METHODS

After informed consent, subjects were fitted with lotrafilcon B contact lenses (CIBA Vision). If the fit was acceptable, subjects were asked to wear the lenses on a daily wear basis for 5 (+2, -0) days for an outcome visit. Subjects were instructed to use AQuify Multi-Purpose Disinfecting Solution (CIBA Vision) following the manufacturer's "no rub" instructions. At the outcome visit, contact lenses were then collected by a gloved examiner, with a sterile metal forceps, who rinsed the right lens but did not rinse the left lens on removal from the eyes. Protein was extracted with a 50:50 0.2% trifluoroacetic acid-acetonitrile solution and quantified using a Bradford analyses.

RESULTS

Twenty contact lens wearers were enrolled in this study. For the non-rinsed lenses, the first extraction yielded 13.4 +/- 9.2 microg/lens of protein, whereas the second extraction yielded 5.8 +/- 2.8 microg/lens of protein. For the rinsed lenses, the first extraction yielded an average of 3.0 +/- 1.9 microg/lens of protein, whereas the second extraction yielded an average of 4.0 +/- 2.3 microg/lens. Repeated measures analysis of variance showed a significant interaction (F-statistic = 18.9, p < 0.0001) between the rinse of a lens and extraction number.

CONCLUSIONS

Rinsing a contact lens after removal from the eye removes well more than one-half of the protein associated with it. Further, to biochemically recover all protein from a silicone hydrogel lens, it may be important to perform more than one chemical extraction from it.