Bulk RNA-seq of trigeminal ganglia from C57BL/6 (wild-type) and Trpv1KO mice with uni- and bilateral dry eye (uni- and bilateral extraorbital lacrimal gland excision model) versus sham-operated controls

The uni- and bilateral excision models allow comparison of the combined effects of ocular desiccation and neuroinflammation on trigeminal gene expression vs the isolated effects of neuroinflammation propagated from the other side. Also, the transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (Trpv1)-deficient mice allow the assessment of the role of this channel. In the unilateral excision model, only the left trigeminal ganglia were analyzed, which were contralateral to the desiccated eyes (right eyes) secondary to excision of the right-side extraorbital lacrimal glands, as the left-side lacrimal glands were left untouched. Eight-week-old female mice of both strains were either operated on day 1 (either bilateral or unilateral -right-side- extraorbital lacrimal gland excision or sham surgery) and allowed to develop a dry eye state until day 10, when they were euthanized and the trigeminal ganglia were excised for RNA extraction. The two trigeminal ganglia of each mouse were pooled in one sample for the bilateral excision or sham groups whereas only the left trigeminal ganglion of each mouse was harvested for the contralateral (unilateral) group. There were 18 samples in total (2 x 3 design, 2 strains, 3 treatments) including 3 replicates/group.