Abstract
Purpose:
The prevalence of dry eye in postmenopausal woman is significantly higher than the male, which prompt the sex hormone using in patients endured dry eye. But it get worse after receiving estrogen replacement therapy suggests that androgens have the potential effects on dry eye. The purpose of the study is to investigate the effect of androgen on tear film of ovariectomized female rats.
Methods:
Healthy 3-month-old sexually mature female Wistar rats 48,were randomly divided into four groups, A group of normal group, B group of ovariectomized (OVX), group C sham operate group, D group of intramuscular with androgen 5 month after OVX for 6 weeks every 3 days. Then detect serum androgen concentrations, tear secretion (SchirmerⅠtest, SⅠt) and tear film break-up time (Break-up Time, BUT) in each group at the same time point. And 2 rats were selected randomly in every group to devote cornea and conjunctival for detect the expression of MUC5AC by Immunofluorescence technique and observe the corneal surface microvilli with scanning electron microscopy. The data application SPSS16.0 statistical package for processing the means ± SD. Statistical methods: One-way AVOVA , P <0.05 was statistically significant.
Results:
Group B rats have lower value of serum testosterone concentrations (1.83 ± 0.12 ng / ml), SI t (3.63 ± 0.26mm) and BUT (3.73 ± 0.38s) compared with rats in A group (2.56 ± 0.14ng / ml, 7.47 ± 0.66mm , 9.57 ± 0.76s) reduction (P = 0.000), while rats in D group have higher serum testosterone concentrations (3.38 ± 0.24 ng / ml), SI t (6.37 ± 0.45mm) and BUT (7.54 ± 0.55s) compared with group B (P = 0.000), the difference was significant; There are the minimal MUC5AC expressed on conjunctival in Group B than Group A, group C and group D. There were regularly arranged microvilli and cell metabolism hiatus on the corneal of group A and group C, while the microvilli performed short, lodging, disorganized and the cell metabolism hiatus disappeared. However, the shape of microvilli and cell metabolism hiatus recovery partly in Group D.
Conclusions:
The deterioration of SIt and tear film instability is associated with the lower serum androgen levels in rats with castration. Systemic androgen supplements can promote tear secretion, improve tear film stability and improve of ocularsurface damage effectively.