title: Strain-related cytokine profiles on the murine ocular surface in response to desiccating stress.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effects of desiccating ocular surface stress on levels of inflammatory cytokines in the corneal epithelium, conjunctiva, and tear fluid of BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Experimental dry eye (EDE) was created in BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice by cholinergic blockade and exposure to a desiccating environment. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was performed to measure levels of cytokine transcripts. A multiplex immunobead assay was used to measure concentrations of these cytokines in tears.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Experimental dryness significantly increased the expression of interleukin (IL)-1alpha, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha transcripts in the corneal epithelium and conjunctiva of C57BL/6 mice. Strain-specific changes in tear cytokine profiles were observed. C57BL/6 mice had significantly greater tear concentrations of IL-1alpha and TNF-alpha and the Th-1 cytokines IL-2, IL-12, and interferon-gamma in response to desiccating stress than BALB/c mice. The Th-2 cytokines IL-4 and IL-10 were significantly greater in BALB/c tears.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study indicates that desiccating stress increases levels of certain cytokines in the corneal epithelium and conjunctiva in a strain-dependent fashion and that C57BL/6 mice had greater levels of Th-1 cytokines in their tears, whereas BALB/c mice had a greater increase in Th-2 cytokines.
authors.affiliation: Ocular Surface Center, Cullen Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Rosa M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Corrales
authors.forename: Arturo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Villarreal
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Farley
authors.forename: Michael E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Stern
authors.forename: De-Quan
authors.initials: DQ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Stephen C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Pflugfelder
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000378:metabolism*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D003890:Desiccation; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D015352:Dry Eye Syndromes / Q000378:metabolism*; D019573:Epithelium, Corneal / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013045:Species Specificity; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013666:Tears / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines