Abstract
Purpose :
To investigate the effects of high-fat diet on murine ocular surface damages.
Methods :
4-week-old male C57BL/6 mice were fed with a standard diet (10 kcal% Fat, NF) or a high-fat diet (60 kcal% Fat, HF) for 12 weeks. The Oregon green dextran (OGD) staining was performed to assess corneal epithelial permeability, and PAS staining was used to quantify conjunctival goblet cells. Squamous metaplasia in ocular surface was detected by immunofluorescent staining for K10 and SPRR1B. Immunofluorescent staining and quantitative RT-PCR were used to assess the expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-3 and -9 in corneal epithelium. Apoptosis in ocular surface was evaluated by TUNEL and immunofluorescent staining for activated caspase-3 and -8. Inflammation in conjunctiva was assessed by CD4 immunochemistry and production of inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-1β, IFN-γ and IL-17A.
Results :
Compared with the NF diet-treated mice, HF diet-treated mice showed obvious OGD staining and goblet cell loss. Increased expression of MMP-3 and -9 in corneal epithelium was observed in HF diet-treated mice compared to NF diet-treated mice. HF diet induced squamous metaplasia and cell apoptosis in ocular surface. HF diet promoted CD4+ T-cell infiltration and production of inflammatory cytokines in conjunctiva.
Conclusions :
HF diet induced dry eye-like ocular surface damages via inducing cell apoptosis and CD4+ T cells-mediated inflammation in ocular surface.
This is an abstract that was submitted for the 2018 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Honolulu, Hawaii, April 29 - May 3, 2018.