Relationship Between The Expression Of IL-17 And IL-23 In The Lacrimal Glands And The Ocular Surface Lesions In Ovariectomized Mice

Purpose: To make ovariectomized mouse model and to observe the number of Th17 cells in the blood and spleen and the expression of interleukin(IL)-17 A and IL-23 in the lacrimal glands when the level of sex hormones change.Methods:Sixty female healthy KM mice were divided into the contol group(n=30) and the experiment group(n=30)randomly.Ovariectomy was performed in the experimental group,while in the control group,the sham operation was done. Before surgery and at 3 and 6 months after ovariectomized, the concentrations of serum estradiol and testosterone were detected by radioimmunoassay. At the 1month,3 months and 6 months after the surgery, acinar cells of the lacrimal glands were examined by HE staining, mice in both groups underwent the cotton thread test and corneal fluorescein staining to assess the ocular surface, while Th17 cells in blood and spleen were detected by flow cytometry. IL-17 A and IL-23 expression in the lacrimal glands was detected by immunohistochemistry, ELISA, and real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR.Results:At the 3 months and 6 months after the surgery, serum estradiol and testosterone levels were significantly lower in the experimental group compared with those in the control group(p<0.01), and there were lymphocytic infiltration in the lacrimal gland. At 1 month and 3 months after surgery, both of the two groups have no significant changs in the ocular surface.But at 6 months after the surgery, in the experimental group,the aqueous tear production was significantly lower and the corneal fluorescein staining score was significantly higher than those in the control group(p<0.01). At 1 month and 3 months after surgery, the number of Th17 cells in the blood between the two groups has no significant difference(P>0.05).At 6 months after the surgery, the experimental group was significantly higher than those in the control group(P<0.05). At 1 month after surgery, the number of Th17 cells in the spleen between the two groups has no significant difference(P>0.05), however, at the 3 months and 6 months after the surgery, the ovariectomized group was significantly higher than those in the control group(p<0.01). IHC and ELISA results confirmed that the IL-17 A expression in the lacrimal gland at 1 month, 3 months and 6 months after the surgery in the experimental group were higher than that in the control group(p<0.05).RT-PCR analysis confirmed that in the lacrimal gland at 1 month after surgery, the relative expression of IL-17 AmRNA of the two groups has no significant difference(P>0.05),but the expression of IL-23 mRNA in the experimental group was significantly higher than those in the control group(P<0.05).At 3 months and 6 months after surgery the expression of IL-17 A 、IL-23 mRNA in the experimental group were higher than those in the control group. IHC results confirmed IL-23 expression in the lacrimal glands at 1 month, 3 months and 6 months after surgery was higher in the experimental group than that in the control group(P<0.05).Conclusion: At 1 month after surgery, IL-17 A and IL-23 expression in the lacrimal glands are increased. At 3 months after surgery, serum estradiol and testosterone levels are decreased, the number of Th17 cells in the spleen are increased in the ovariectomized group,but both of the two groups have no significant changs in the ocular surface. At 6 months after surgery, the serum estradiol and testosterone levels are continue to decreased, the number of Th17 cells in the blood are increased, the number of Th17 cells in the spleen and the expression of IL-17 A 、IL-23 in the lacrimal gland are continue to increased, along with the aqueous tear production was lower and the corneal fluorescein staining was positive in the ocular surface.