Abstract:AIM: To investigate the expression of lacrimal androgen-binding proteins (ABPs) in mice Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) keratitis. METHODS: P. aeruginosa mice model from different gender was developed by intra-stromal injection. The expression of lacrimal ABPs in lacrimal gland specimens from P. aeruginosa keratitis mice was detected by the quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Corneal virulence was evaluated based on clinical scores. To study the mechanism of lacrimal ABPs’ expression, experimental subjects were pre-treated with 4E-BP1 inhibitor, and were used to evaluate the expression levels by qRT-PCR. RESULTS: Compared with control groups, the expression of ABPα, ABPη and ABPζ in lacrimal gland from P. aeruginosa keratitis mice had no meaningful changes, while ABPε and ABPδ were significantly higher at 1d after infection. The expression of ABPδ in lacrimal gland of male mice was higher than female mice, regardless of whether or not P. aeruginosa keratitis occurred. After 4E-BP1 inhibitor subconjunctival injection or lacrimal injection, the expression of ABPδ and ABPε has no significant change compared with the control group. CONCLUSION: ABPδ and ABPε secreted by mice lacrimal gland may involve in the progress of alleviating the severity of corneal damage in P. aeruginosa keratitis. The expression of ABPδ and ABPε upon P. aeruginosa infection is independent of cap-dependent mRNA translation activated by 4E-BP1.
