The aetiology of dry eye diseases is multifactorial and often accompanied by ocular surface inflammation and the resident ocular microbiota may have a role in maintaining homeostasis. The aim of this study was to compare the microbiomes of the conjunctiva and lid margin in humans with mild and moderate dry eye disease and controls using 16S rRNA gene sequencing.
Methods
The conjunctiva and lid margin of three cohorts (N = 60; MGD, MGD with lacrimal dysfunction [MGD+LD] and controls) were swabbed bilaterally three times over three months. Microbial communities were analysed by extracting DNA and sequencing the V3-V4 region of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene. Sequences were quality filtered, clustered into amplicon sequence variants using UNOISE algorithm and taxonomically classified using a BLCA algorithm against the GTDB 2207 database.
Results
There was decreased richness and diversity in females compared to males on the conjunctiva (P<0.04) and lid margin (P<0.018). There was a difference in the bacterial community structure between the MGD+LD, MGD and control groups for the conjunctiva and lid margin (P<0.027). The conjunctiva in the MGD+LD group had more abundant Pseudomonas azotoformans and P. oleovorans compared to MGD and control (P<0.05), while the MGD group had more abundant Corynebacterium macginleyi and C. kroppenstedtii compared to control (P<0.05). The lid margin in MGD+LD was more abundant in C. macginleyi, C. accolens, and C. simulans compared to the MGD and control (P<0.05).
Conclusion
Dry eye disease is associated with a reduced bacterial richness and diversity in females. There were differences in detected bacteria on the conjunctiva and lid margin associated with mild to moderate dry eye disease compared to healthy individuals.
Conflict of interest
No
Authors 1
Last name
OZKAN
Initials of first name(s)
J
Department
School of Optometry and Vision Science, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences
City
Sydney
Country
Australia
Authors 2
Last name
Majzoub
Initials of first name(s)
M
Department
School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health
City
Sydney
Country
Australia
Authors 3
Last name
Coroneo
Initials of first name(s)
M
Department
Department of Ophthalmology, Prince of Wales Hospital, Faculty of Medicine and Health
City
Sydney
Country
Australia
Authors 4
Last name
Thomas
Initials of first name(s)
T
Department
School of Biological, Earth and Envrironmental Sciences, Faculty of Science
City
Sydney
Country
Australia
Authors 5
Last name
Willcox
Initials of first name(s)
M
Department
School of Optometry and Vision Science, Faculty and Medicine and Health
City
Sydney
Country
Australia
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