PURPOSE: Dry eye disease (DED) is associated with ocular surface inflammation that is thought to be mediated primarily by CD4 T cells. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether this T cell-mediated immune response is generated in the lymphoid compartment and to characterize the functional phenotype of the T cells activated in DED. METHODS: DED was induced in female C57BL/6mice by exposure to a desiccating environment in the controlled environment chamber and to systemic scopolamine. T cells from regional draining lymph nodes (LNs) of DEDmice and normally sighted mice were analyzed for surface activation markers (CD69 and CD154), chemokine and cytokine receptors, and proliferation potential. RESULTS: Draining LNs of DEDmice showed increased frequencies of CD69- and CD154-expressing T cells with higher proliferative capacity. In addition, these LN T cells primarily showed a helper T-cell (Th)1 phenotype, expressing significantly higher levels of IFN-gamma and IL-12Rbeta2 but not IL-4R. Similarly, the LNs of DEDmice showed significantly increased frequencies of T cells expressing CXCR3 and CCR5, but not CCR4, suggesting a bias toward a Th1 phenotype. CONCLUSIONS: These data demonstrate that a Th1-type immune response is induced in the regional LNs of DEDmice. The identification of specific cytokine/chemokine receptors overexpressed by these T cells may signify potential novel targets/strategies for the treatment of DED.
References
J Exp Med. 2002 Jan 21;195(2):259-68
[PMID: 11805152]
