ABSTRACT
Objective:To investigate the effect of vasoactive intestinal peptide on IL-1β expression after corneal alkali burn.Methods:27 healthy adult female Wistar rats were randomly divided into group A(normal blank control group),group B(alkali burn treated with saline group),and group C (alkali burn treated with vasoactive intestinal peptide group).Group A were not processed.Group B,C were made right eyes′moderate corneal alkali burn models.After inducing burn,group B and group C were followed respectively by 0.9% saline and 0.25 g/L vasoactive intestinal peptide eye drops,4 times per day.The corneal epithelial healing rates were calculated by measuring the corneal staining area by methylene blue staining at 3 d,7 d and 14 d after inducing burn.At 3 d,7 d and 21 d,the corneal tissues were removed and divided into two equal parts.The corneal tissues were observed by staining,and the expression of IL-1β were detected by immunohistochemistry.Results:The healing rates of corneal epithelium in group C were greater than those in group B at 7 d and 14 d(P<0.05).The mean optical density of IL-1β was measured by immunohistochem-istry.The mean optical density in group B and group C at 3 d were(1.62 ± 0.96) ×10-2,(0.98 ± 0.45) ×10-2,respectively,which at 7 d were (1.42 ± 0.62) ×10-2,(0.71 ± 0.22) ×10-2,respectively,which at 21 d were(0.37 ± 0.24) ×10-2,(0.13 ± 0.16) × 10-2,respectively.The mean optical density of corneal IL-1β in group C were lower than those in group B(P<0.05).Conclusion:Va-soactive intestinal peptide can decrease the expression of IL-1β after corneal alkali burn,down-regulate the level of immune stress, reduce the inflammatory reaction and promote the recovery of cornea after alkali burn.