Desiccating stress triggers conjunctival monocyte to macrophage cascade - Implications for Sjögren Syndrome keratoconjunctivitis Desiccation induced monocyte cascade

Lacrimal gland secretory dysfunction in Sjögren syndrome (SS) causes ocular surface desiccation that is associated with increased cytokine expression and number of antigen-presenting cells (APCs) in the conjunctiva. This study evaluated the hypothesis that desiccating stress (DS) alters the percentage and gene expression of myeloid cell populations in the conjunctiva. Flow cytometry evaluated myeloid cell populations in conjunctivae obtained from non-stressed eyes and those exposed to DS for 5 days. CD11b+ myeloid lineage cells were gated on monocyte (Ly6C), macrophage (CD64, MHCII) and DC (CD11c) lineage markers. NanoString immune arrays were performed on sorted MHCII+ and MHCII- monocyte/macrophage cell populations.