The aim of this study was to evaluate the lipidome of meibomian gland
secretions in canines (cMGS) – a common pet and laboratory animal – and to
compare it with that of human MGS (hMGS), to determine whether canines could
be used as a valid experimental animal model in studies of the biochemistry
and physiology of the human ocular surface in general, and of the Meibomian
glands in particular. The MGS of both species were evaluated using HPLC in
combination with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization ion trap mass
spectrometry. The main lipid classes found in cMGS were very long chain
cholesteryl esters, wax esters, (O-acyl)-omega-hydroxy fatty acids (OAHFA),
and cholesteryl esters of OAHFA. The lipidomes of cMGS and hMGS were found to
be qualitatively similar, which implies similar biosynthetic and
biodegradation pathways in canines and humans. However, some quantitative
differences between the two were observed
