Proteomic analysis of aqueous humor from cataract patients with retinitis pigmentosa

Abstract A postcataract surgery complication in patients with retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is lens capsular contraction. To identify potential proteins contributing to this phenomenon, high‐performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry‐based proteomic analysis was conducted with aqueous humor samples collected from 11 patients who underwent cataract surgeries, with four patients diagnosed as RP and cataract (RP group) and the other seven with only senile cataract group. The upregulated proteins in the RP group were enriched in wound response, while downregulated proteins were enriched in cell adhesion and lens crystallins. Receptors of two dramatically upregulated proteins tenascin‐C (TNC) and serotransferrin were found expressed in human lens epithelial cells (HLEs). TNC can promote primary HLEs proliferation and cell line HLE‐B3 migration. This study indicates aqueous humor proteomic analysis serves as an effective way to unveil the pathogenesis of RP complications. TNC is a potential target of stimulating HLEs proliferation in RP concomitant cataract patients that worth further research.