ADVANCED MAILLARD REACTION AND CROSS-LINKING OF CORNEAL COLLAGEN IN DIABETES

Diabetes mellitus is associated with a number of changes in the cornea . These include increased corneal autofluorescence, thickening and enh anced endothelial cell permeability. In this study we have investigate d the biochemical changes of corneal collagen due to advanced Maillard reaction and lysyl oxidase mediated crosslinking in diabetes. Advance d Maillard reaction was estimated by collagen-bound fluorescence and p entosidine. Hydroxypyridinium (a trifunctional fluorescent crosslink) was estimated as an index of lysyl oxidase mediated crosslinking. Both fluorescence (p<0.05) and pentosidine were present at higher levels i n diabetic corneas when compared with age-matched control corneas. Hyd roxypyridinium levels were only marginally increased in diabetes. Thes e results suggest that corneal collagen is modified in diabetes by adv anced Maillard reaction and that such modifications may have effect on corneal thickening, endothelial cell permeability and other abnormali ties of the cornea in diabetes. (C) 1995 Academic Press, Inc.