Effect of Tear Hyperosmolarity on Dry eye disease

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24592658
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Ophthalmology
• Research Institution: Nippon Medical School
• Principal Investigator: FUJIMOTO Chiaki 日本医科大学, 医学(系)研究科(研究院), 研究員 (70623924)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): TAKAHASHI Hiroshi 日本医科大学, 大学院医学研究科, 教授 (00188046) ; IGARASGI Tsutomu 日本医科大学, 医学部, 講師 (10421190)
• Research Collaborator: KOBAYASHI Maika
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: ドライアイ / 涙液浸透圧 / IL-6 / 高浸透圧 / 角膜上皮細胞 / 炎症

Outline of Final Research Achievements

To examine the effect of short-time hyperosmolarity exposure in the production of inflammatory cytokines in corneal epithelial cells, Human Corneal Cells (HCE) cells were used in vitro.
After a 24-hour culture, exposures over 500 mOsm damaged HCE cells, but 400 mOsm caused no cell damage. In contrast, after the short-time (10-minute) exposures, even when at over 800 mOsm, no cells was damaged. The significant increases in IL-6 production and mRNA expression at 700 mOsm during the short-time exposures were both dependent on the osmolarity.
Short-time hyperosmolarity exposure may activate IL-6 expression and production in Human Corneal Epithelial cells without cytotoxicity. These observations suggest that hyperosmolarity could cause inflammation on the ocular surface in dry eye disease.

Free Research Field

眼表面の免疫システムとドライアイ