Serum albumin, serum antiproteases and polymorphonuclear leucocyte neutral collagenolytic protease in the tear fluid of patients with corneal ulcers.

Using a micro-electroimmune assay, the concentration of polymorphonuclear leucocyte neutral collagenolytic protease, serum-albumin, alpha-1-antitrypsin and alpha-2-macroglobulin were measured in the tear fluid from 18 eyes of 16 patients with severe, melting corneal ulcers. By this method, PML-c-ase was the first time detected in tear fluid. All proteins normalized during healing of the ulcer. The findings are indicative of an important role for PML-proteases in the degradation of the corneal stroma, and of a regulative effect of the serum antiproteases leaking into the tear fluid from inflamed conjunctival vessels.