Abstract
Purpose :
Particulate matter less than 2.5 microns (PM2.5) has been reported to have a wide range of adverse health effects. In this study, we investigated the alteration of ocular surface with PM2.5 in mice
Methods :
PM2.5 solution at 0, 0.5, 1.0 and 5.0 mg/ml were applied to the C57BL/6 mice ocular surface for 6 consecutive months. Fluorescein staining, phenol red thread tear test and tear break-up time (BUT) test were performed to evaluate the effects of PM2.5 on the ocular surface. Mouse eyeballs were elucidated at the 6th month, and ocular surfaces were evaluated by histological assays with hematoxylin/eosin (H/E) and periodic acid-Schiff staining.
Results :
PM2.5 at higher concentration induced decreasing tear volume and BUTs at month 3 and 6. There was no significant difference in corneal fluorescein staining between control group and experiment group. Thinning of epithelial layer in central cornea and decreasing of goblet cell density in conjunctiva were found in higher PM2.5 treated animals.
Conclusions :
Exposure to high levels of PM2.5 impacts ocular surfaces in mouse, which may have public health implications in relation to eye diseases
This is an abstract that was submitted for the 2017 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Baltimore, MD, May 7-11, 2017.