Br J Ophthalmol 1998;82:444-447 ( April )
Quantitative analysis of lipid deposits from Schnyder's corneal
dystrophy
Masakazu Yamada,
Hiroshi Mochizuki,
Yuko Kamata,
Yu Nakamura,
Yukihiko Mashima
Department of Ophthalmology, Keio
University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
Correspondence to: Masakazu Yamada, MD,
Department of Ophthalmology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160, Japan.
Accepted for publication 11 November 1997
AIM
To report the quantitation of the lipid
composition of a corneal button from a Japanese woman in her 60s with
clinically and histopathologically proved Schnyder's corneal dystrophy.
METHODSTotal lipids extracted from the corneal
button of the patient were analysed by the method of thin layer
chromatography flame ionisation detection. Two different solvent
systems were used for neutral lipid analysis and phospholipid analysis.
Results were compared with three age matched corneal buttons obtained from cadaveric eyes.
RESULTSThe lipids that accumulated in the cornea
in Schnyder's dystrophy consisted mainly of unesterified cholesterol
and phospholipids. The analysis of phospholipids showed sphingomyelin
to be the predominant phospholipid in the patient's cornea.
CONCLUSIONFindings suggest that this disorder
involves a disturbance of the metabolism of cholesterol and/or
sphingomyelin metabolism that is limited to the cornea.
Keywords:
Schnyder's dystrophy;
lipids;
unesterified
cholesterol;
sphingomyelin
© 1998 by British Journal of Ophthalmology
