title: Analysis of Th17-associated cytokines in tears of patients with dry eye syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the levels of Th17-associated cytokines, particularly interleukin (IL)-17 and IL-22 in tears of patients with dry eye syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tear samples were collected from 20 healthy volunteers, 20 dry eye (DE) patients with non-Sjögren's syndrome (NSSDE) and 20 DE patients with Sjögren's syndrome (SSDE). Symptom questionnaire was self-administered and multiple dry eye disease (DED)-related clinical tests were performed. The levels of IL-17 and IL-22 in tears were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The levels of IL-17 and IL-22 were significantly increased in tears of DE patients compared with those of controls and also higher in SSDE patients compared with those of NSSDE patients (P<0.05). Moreover, the levels of IL-17 and IL-22 were positively correlated with questionnaire score and keratopathy score but negatively correlated with tear film break-up time and Schirmer I test in both NSSDE and SSDE patients (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The levels of IL-17 and IL-22 in tears were significantly increased in DE patients, which were associated with the disease severity. Therefore, Th17 cell-associated cytokines, particularly IL-17 and IL-22, may have important roles in the immunopathogenesis of the DED.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Wuxi No. 2, People's Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China.
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Wuxi No. 2, People's Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Cataract, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Centre, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Wuxi No. 2, People's Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Nuclear Medicine, Ministry of Health, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Nuclear Medicine, Jiangsu Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Wuxi, China.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Wuxi No. 2, People's Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Wuxi No. 2, People's Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Wuxi No. 2, People's Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Save Sight Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D015352:Dry Eye Syndromes / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000378:metabolism*; D007378:Interleukins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013666:Tears / Q000378:metabolism*; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D000097043:Interleukin-22
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D020381:Interleukin-17; D007378:Interleukins; D000097043:Interleukin-22