Characterization of Ocular Biomaterial Uptake & Release

生物材料是与活的生物细胞或液体密切接触的材料。生物材料的一些最好的例子包括心脏瓣膜、血管、人工关节置换术、乳房植入物、人工晶状体植入物(用于白内障手术后)和隐形眼镜，其中后两种是使用最广泛的。全球超过1.4亿人佩戴隐形眼镜，其中90%使用柔软的水凝胶镜片，通常在使用1天至1个月后更换。仅在加拿大，300万戴镜片的人每年就使用大约3000万个新的软性镜片。这些物质与眼睛表面的泪膜直接接触，泪膜是一种高度复杂的液体，含有各种蛋白质、油、代谢物和电解质。一旦接触到泪膜，这些隐形眼镜材料就会吸收其中的各种成分，其中一些可能会引发炎症反应。一旦拆卸，可重复使用的镜片被放置在化学成分也很复杂的隐形眼镜溶液中。这些化学物质可以被晶状体吸收，并在下次植入时释放到眼睛上。其中一些化学物质会对眼睛造成损害，并引发低度炎症反应。最后，来自手指、保温箱或眼睛本身的细菌也可以被镜片携带。 这笔赠款将继续我的工作，加深对软性镜片材料与泪膜、隐形眼镜溶液和细菌之间相互作用的理解。它将使用各种各样的尖端实验室技术，特别强调试图更好地了解隐形眼镜引起的炎症。我们最新的研究表明，某些泪膜蛋白具有“保护性”，能够减少晶状体中的细菌污染。最近的其他研究表明，当接触到镜片材料时，某些蛋白质的构型会发生变化，这种新的“形式”可能会引发炎症反应。因此，隐形眼镜材料的开发应该鼓励某些泪膜成分的沉积，而不利于其他成分的沉积。这项工作将包括对两种商业材料的检查，还包括我们将在内部制造的尚未商业化的“模型”材料，以提供有关如何开发具有更高性能的软材料的基本信息。 更好地了解隐形眼镜材料、溶液和细菌之间的相互作用，将有助于开发下一代隐形眼镜材料和其他眼部生物材料。这一结果将在一个具有巨大就业潜力的领域为加拿大学生提供出色的培训，并将为300万戴隐形眼镜的加拿大人带来更好的隐形眼镜材料。

Biomaterials are materials that come into close contact with living biological cells or fluids. Some of the best examples of biomaterials include heart valves, blood vessels, artificial joint replacements, breast implants, intraocular lens implants (for use following cataract surgery), and contact lenses, of which the latter two are among the most widely used. Over 140 million people worldwide wear contact lenses, of which 90% use soft, hydrogel lenses, which are typically replaced after being used for 1 day to 1 month. In Canada alone, the 3 million wearers of lenses use approximately 30 million new soft lenses annually. These materials come into direct contact with the tear film on the surface of the eye, which is a highly complex fluid containing a wide variety of proteins, oils, metabolites and electrolytes. Once exposed to the tear film, these contact lens materials take up various components from it, some of which may induce inflammatory responses. Once removed, reusable lenses are placed in contact lens solutions that are also complex in their chemistry. These chemicals can be soaked up by the lens and released onto the eye when next inserted. Some of these chemicals can be damaging to the eye and induce low-grade inflammatory responses. Finally, bacteria from the fingers, soaking case or eye itself can also be taken up by the lens. This grant will continue my work in developing an enhanced understanding of the interactions that occur between soft lens materials and the tear film, contact lens solutions and bacteria. It will use a wide variety of cutting-edge laboratory techniques, with a specific emphasis of trying to better understand contact lens-induced inflammation. Our latest work would suggest that certain tear film proteins are “protective” and are able to reduce bacterial contamination of the lenses. Other recent studies have shown that certain proteins change in configuration when exposed to lens materials and this new “form” may induce an inflammatory response. Thus, it may transpire that contact lens materials should be developed that encourage the deposition of certain tear film components and discourage others. This work will include examination of both commercial materials and also include “model” materials that we will fabricate internally that are not yet commercialised, to provide basic information on the ways that soft materials can be developed that exhibit improved performance. Obtaining a greater understanding of the interactions that occur between contact lens materials, solutions and bacteria will help with the development of next generation contact lens materials and other ocular biomaterials. The results will provide excellent training for Canadian students in an area that provides great potential for employment, and will lead to better contact lens materials for the 3 million Canadians who wear contacts.