ABSTRACT
AIM: To study in vivo the effect of androgen on mice tear film stability and Mucins expressions in corneal epithelial cells in BALB/ c mice after orchectomy. METHODS: With orchiectomy operation, we set up mice model. And serum androgen concentration of mice was detected by radioimmunoassay. Break - up time ( BUT ) of tear film was tested in the different experimental points. Mice corneal epithelia were peeled and MUC1 and MUC4 mRNA and protein levels were measured by RT-PCR and Western blot. RESULTS: The serum androgen concentration reduced to 0ng/ μ L at 1wk after orchiectomy. The BUT values were 68. 33±12. 86s, 62. 47±3. 75s, 58. 67± 10. 03s, 47. 17±7. 64s, 39. 51±3. 39s, 32. 67±3. 88s and 31. 00±2. 36s in the normal control group, sham group and in orchectomy group at 1, 2, 4, 6 and 8wk, respectively, and the BUTs were significantly shorter in the orchectomy at 2, 4, 6 and 8wk groups than those in the normal control group (all at PCONCLUSION: In vivo, androgen regulates Mucins expressions in mice corneal epithelial cells, makes BUT shorter,and influence the stability of tear film.