# Clusterin at the Ocular Surface

> **NIH NIH R01** · TUFTS MEDICAL CENTER · 2020 · $556,738

## Abstract

7. PROJECT SUMMARY/ ABSTRACT
Dry eye syndrome is a common affliction of the eye that affects millions of people. Dry eye is brought on by
aging, eye surgery or environmental exposure and is also an adverse effect of contact lens wear, and topical
eye medications. Symptoms include pain, burning, itching, redness, sensitivity to light and other discomfort. If
left untreated, severe cases may result in vision loss due to corneal scarring. New research from this research
team, recently published in the NIH-supported journal PLOS ONE, suggests a new approach to treating dry
eye. Using an experimental mouse model, the researchers found that the natural tear protein known as
clusterin selectively binds to the ocular surface barrier disrupted by desiccating stress in an all-or-none
manner, while also preventing further damage. Known properties of clusterin suggest it may further protect
against the upstream effects of inflammatory cascade activation and subsequent squamous metaplasia. The
proposed research will investigate this previously unrecognized, endogenous protective mechanism. The
planned studies make use of the mouse experimental model and a quantitative functional assay for ocular
surface barrier disruption, and take advantage of mouse genetics. The specific aims are: 1) to determine the
molecular nature of clusterin intercalation into the ocular surface glycocalyx, and how it might relate to the all-
or-none effect; 2) to document the role of clusterin in anti-proteolysis, the effects of proteolysis on the capacity
for clusterin binding, and the relationship between the proteolytic and clusterin pathways; 3) to define the
endogenous clusterin protection pathway and its role in maintaining an anti-inflammatory environment at the
ocular surface. The impact of this research will be new basic science knowledge about the ocular surface
barrier, how it is altered in disease, and mechanisms of protection by clusterin. The results will set the stage for
clinical innovation.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9954082
- **Project number:** 5R01EY026479-05
- **Recipient organization:** TUFTS MEDICAL CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** M Elizabeth Fini
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $556,738
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2016-09-01 → 2022-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9954082

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9954082, Clusterin at the Ocular Surface (5R01EY026479-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9954082. Licensed CC0.

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