Activities of autonomic neurotransmitters in meibomian gland tissues are associated with menopausal dry eye

作者：Li Lianxiang^*; Jin Dongling; Gao Jinsheng; Wang Liguang; Liu Xianjun; Wang Jingzhang; Xu Zhongxin

来源：Neural Regeneration Research, 2012, 7(35): 2761-2769.

DOI：10.3969/j.issn.1673-5374.2012.35.003

• ovariectomy
• meibomian gland
• meibomian gland dysfunction
• neuropeptide Y
• vasoactive intestinal polypeptide
• autonomic nervous system dysfunction
• dry eye
• sexual hormone
• rats
• autonomic nerve
• neural regeneration

The secretory activities of meibomian glands are regulated by the autonomic nervous system. The change in density and activity of autonomic nerves in meibomian glands during menopause play an important role in the pathogenesis of dry eye. In view of this, we established a dry eye rat model by removing the bilateral ovaries. We used neuropeptide Y and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide as markers of autonomic neurotransmitters. Our results showed that the concentration of estradiol in serum significantly decreased, the density of neuropeptide Y immunoreactivity in nerve fibers significantly increased, the density of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide immunoreactivity in nerve fibers significantly decreased, and the ratio of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide/neuropeptide Y positive staining significantly decreased. These results suggest that a decrease in ovary activity may lead to autonomic nervous system dysfunction, thereby affecting the secretory activity of the meibomian gland, which participates in sexual hormone imbalance-induced dry eye.

• 出版日期2012-12-15
• 单位河北工程大学