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Updated: Jun 21, 2026

Optimizing Tear Collection in Mice for mRNA and Protein Analysis
Published on: July 19, 2024
Topical application of nucleotides increase lysozyme levels in tears
Assumpta Peral1, Patricia Loma, Benjamin Yerxa
1Departamento de Optica II (Optometría y Visión), Escuela Universitaria de Optica, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Avda Arcos de Jalón s/n, Madrid, Spain. assumpta@opt.ucm.es
Abstract:
The present work studies the effects of topical application of nucleotides on rabbit tear lysozyme levels. Lysozyme values were determined by the diffusion in Agar method described by van Bijsterveld in 1974, and the protein amount was obtained by measuring the inhibitory halos around a Whatman n degrees 1 paper disc of 5 mm in diameter. The tested nucleotides were UTP, Ap(4)A and Up(4)U. These compounds were topically instilled in a single-dose in one eye (with the contralateral eye as a control) and the lysozyme halos were measured along 5 hours. The obtained results showed an increase in the lysozyme concentrations of 67%, 93%, and 119% for UTP, Ap(4)A, and Up(4)U, respectively, over the basal levels of lysozyme. For this reason, we suggest these molecules as a potential treatment for the reinforcement of the tear film barrier against ocular infection.
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