TOP 51 - Tears Before Sight: Biomarker Discovery of Premature Infants at Risk for Retinopathy of Prematurity

Publication Number: 4755.TOP 51

Kristen Beeler, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, United States; Brian Stansfield, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States; Jill L.. Maron, Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, Providence, RI, RI, United States; Larissa M. Romanow, Children's Hospital of Georgia, Augusta, GA, United States

Background: Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) is a leading cause of preventable childhood blindness worldwide. Early detection and timely intervention is critical, yet current screening methods are resource-intensive, subjective, and invasive. Tear fluid, as a readily accessible and noninvasive biofluid, offers a promising window into ocular and systemic health. Advances in proteomic technologies allow for detailed profiling of tear composition, potentially enabling the identification of novel biomarkers associated with ROP risk and progression. However, there is limited data on the tear proteome in preterm infants, and its potential role in ROP pathogenesis remains largely unexplored.

Objective: This study aims to characterize the tear fluid proteome of preterm neonates to identify noninvasive biomarkers for early risk stratification, potential targets for intervention, and investigate underlying pathophysiological mechanisms associated with the development of ROP.

Design/Methods: This prospective observational study enrolled preterm neonates less than 32 weeks gestational age across two sites: Brown University and the Medical College of Georgia. Eligible infants admitted to the NICU and meeting ROP screening criteria were included. Tear fluid sample were collected non-invasively from both eyes using Schirmer strips placed at the lateral canthus. Samples were obtained prior to each scheduled ROP exam and continued until the time of discharge. Samples were stored at -80 degrees Celsius until proteomic analysis. Proteomic profiling was performed using mass spectrometry to evaluate protein expression patterns. Maternal and patient clinical data was collected and correlated with proteomic findings to evaluate the diagnostic and pathophysiological significance.