Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39761842›Full record

ArticleExperimental eye research2025

Mass spectrometric detection of keratins in tear fluid.

Saleh Ahmed, Jeremy Altman, Garrett Jones, Tae Jin Lee, Danielle M Robertson, Wenbo Zhi, Shruti Sharma, Ashok Sharma

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Experimental eye research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Dried Spot Paradigm: Problems and Prospects in Proteomics.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Saleh AhmedCenter for Biotechnology and Genomic Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, 30912, USA.
Jeremy AltmanCenter for Biotechnology and Genomic Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, 30912, USA.
Garrett JonesCenter for Biotechnology and Genomic Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, 30912, USA.
Tae Jin LeeCenter for Biotechnology and Genomic Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, 30912, USA.
Danielle M RobertsonDepartment of Ophthalmology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA.
Wenbo ZhiCenter for Biotechnology and Genomic Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, 30912, USA.
Shruti SharmaCenter for Biotechnology and Genomic Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, 30912, USA; Department of Ophthalmology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, 30912, USA.
Ashok SharmaCenter for Biotechnology and Genomic Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, 30912, USA; Department of Ophthalmology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, 30912, USA. Electronic address: assharma@augusta.edu.

Funding

Module 3: Gene Expression/ProteomicsP30EY031631 · NEI · AUGUSTA UNIVERSITY · PI Xingjun Fan · 2020 to 2026
$3.6M
Sex-specific Influences on tear microRNAs in dry eye diseaseR01EY036114 · NEI · AUGUSTA UNIVERSITY · PI Ashok Sharma, Shruti Sharma · 2024 to 2026
$1.6M
NEI NIH HHS P30 EY031631NEI NIH HHS R01 EY036114
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeKeratin contamination is a common problem in mass spectrometry proteomic analyses, particularly in bottom-up mass spectrometry. The purpose of this study was to determine the protein contaminants introduced during the proteomic analysis of tear fluid.

methodsHuman tear fluid samples were collected using Schirmer strips. Proteomic analyses were performed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) on blank Schirmer strips and tear fluid samples, with empty vials serving as controls for assessing environmental contaminant proteins.

resultsWe detected 26 contaminant proteins (18 keratins and 8 non-keratins). 98.2% of the total protein contamination can be attributed to the 9 keratins, including KRT10 (23.6%), KRT1 (23.5%), KRT2 (15.7%), KRT14 (7.6%), KRT16 (7.0%), KRT5 (6.1%), KRT9 (5.9%), KRT6B (4.6%), and KRT6A (4.3%). A comparison to the proteomic profile of blank Schirmer strips and controls (empty vials) found a strong correlation (R

conclusionsThis study revealed nine major contaminant keratins in the mass spectrometry analysis. Several other keratins were identified as constituents of tear fluid. Background subtraction is necessary for the accurate analysis of tear fluid using mass spectrometry.

Indexed as

Eye ProteinsKeratinsTandem Mass SpectrometryTearsAdultChromatography, LiquidFemaleHumansMaleMass SpectrometryMiddle AgedProteomicsEye ProteinsKeratinsBiomarkersKeratinsMass spectrometryProteomicsSchirmer stripTear fluid

Identifiers

PMID39761842
PMCPMC11798696

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.