Lacrimal gland transplantation for improvement of the gland function

这项研究最初是为了探讨泪腺移植治疗严重干眼症的可能性，导致西格伦综合征(SS)。自体泪腺移植的手术方法尚未建立，移植泪腺的浓度和功能尚未得到动物模型研究。为建立泪腺功能的评价体系，采用LACTOPLATE TM(JDC)定量方法测定泪液中乳铁蛋白的含量。泪腺中乳铁蛋白的检测是通过使用抗人乳铁蛋白的免疫染色在55例患者(已被证明腺体蛋白质和分泌物较少)和非SS(NSS)患者中完成的。该抗体已用于泪腺功能的评价。此前，已有病例研究表明，包括55例严重天眼患者的泪液乳铁蛋白水平明显低于NSS天眼患者。我们用前述的抗乳铁蛋白抗体证实了泪腺评估系统的结果。此外，在55个腺体的腺泡和导管细胞中存在较高浓度的乳铁蛋白。提示泪液蛋白分泌障碍可能发生在泪腺，而不是由蛋白质合成障碍引起。我们相信这一评估系统可能会在综合障碍的检查中使用。此外，该系统还可以用来评估严重干眼(包括SS)由于蛋白质合成和/或分泌障碍等原因导致的泪腺功能障碍的细节。

This study was originally designed to investigate die possibility of lacrimal gland transplantation as a treatment for severe dry eye, inducing Siogren's syndrome (SS). The surgical procedure of auto lacrimal gland graft transplantation has not been established and the concentration and function of transplanted lacrimal glands has not been evaluated in any animal model studies,To establish an evaluation system for lacrimal gland function, lactoferrin protein was measured in the tear through the use of LACTOPLATE TM (JDC) quantitation. Detection of lactoferrin in the lacrimal glands was accomplished by immunological staining using anti-human lactoferrin in patients with 55, (who have been documented to have less protein and secretion from the glands), and in non-SS (NSS). This antibody has been used for evaluation of the function of lacrimal glands. Previously, case studies have shown that tear lactoferrin in severe day eye including 55 is significantly lower than in NSS day eye cases. We confirmed the results of this lacrimal gland evaluation system using tie aforementioned anti-lactoferrin antibody. Furthermore, relatively high concentrations of lactoferrin protein were found to exist in the acinar and ductal cells in the 55 Iacnmal gland. This suggests that tear protein secretion disorders might occur in SS lacrimal glands instead of being caused by protein synthesis disorders. We believe this evaluation system might be of use in the examination of synthesis disorders. Additionally, this system might also be able to be used to evaluate the fine details of lacrimal gland dysfunction due to causes such as protein synthesis and/or secretion disorders in severe dry eye (including SS).