Kim, Kyung-A Hyun, Lee Chung Jung, Sang Hoon Yang, Sung Jae 2024-01-20T04:32:16Z 2024-01-20T04:32:16Z 2021-09-05 2016-04 1090-0535 https://pubs.kist.re.kr/handle/201004/124205 Purpose: In this study, the beneficial effects of the oral administration of ethanol extract of Diospyros kaki (EEDK) were tested on a mouse dry eye model induced by benzalkonium chloride (BAC). Methods: A solution of 0.2% BAC was administered topically to mouse eyes for 14 days, twice daily, to induce dry eye. Various concentrations of EEDK were administrated daily by oral gavage for 14 days after BAC treatment. Preservative-free eye drops were instilled in the positive-control group. The tear secretion volume (Schirmer's test), tear break-up time (BUT), and fluorescein score were measured on the ocular surface. BAC-induced corneal damage was tested with hematoxylin-eosin staining. Moreover, apoptotic cell death in the corneal epithelial layer was investigated with terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) staining. The protein expression level of interleukin-1alpha (IL-1 alpha), IL-1 beta, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) was determined with western blot analysis. Furthermore, squamous metaplasia in the corneal epithelial layer was detected with immunofluorescent staining for cytokeratine-10. The cellular proliferation in the cornea was examined with immunohistochemical staining for Ki-67. Results: EEDK treatment resulted in prolonged BUT, decreased fluorescein score, increased tear volume, and smoother epithelial cells compared with BAC treatment alone in the cornea. Moreover, EEDK treatment inhibited the inflammatory response and corneal epithelial cell death in a BAC-induced murine dry eye model, and changes in squamous cells were inhibited. Proliferative activity in the corneal epithelium cells was improved with EEDK. Conclusions: EEDK could be a potential therapeutic agent in the clinical treatment of dry eye. English Molecular Vision The leaves of Diospyros kaki exert beneficial effects on a benzalkonium chloride-induced murine dry eye model Article 1 Molecular Vision, v.22, pp.284 - 293 Molecular Vision 22 284 293 N scie scopus 000373454100001 Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Ophthalmology Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Ophthalmology Article DYSFUNCTIONAL TEAR SYNDROME OCULAR SURFACE SQUAMOUS METAPLASIA MOUSE MODEL DISEASE PERSIMMON EXTRACT CELLS INTERLEUKIN-6 CONJUNCTIVA Diospyros kaki Dry eye