Stress-Induced Disruption of Circadian and Neuroimmune Networks in Lacrimal Glands Drives Dry Eye Pathogenesis.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

Chronic psychological stress is an important but poorly defined risk factor for dry eye disease. This study investigated how sustained stress alters circadian regulation in the lacrimal gland (LG) and the role of neuroendocrine signaling in stress-induced dry eye disease.

Methods

Male C57BL/6J mice underwent two weeks of daily restraint stress with or without β-adrenergic blockade or glucocorticoid synthesis inhibition. Tear secretion was assessed by pilocarpine-stimulated phenol red thread test. LGs were collected every three hours across 24 hours for bulk RNA sequencing, and rhythmicity was analyzed with Jonckheere-Terpstra-Kendall cycle (JTK_CYCLE) algorithm. Single-cell RNA sequencing at zeitgeber time 6 mapped stress hormone receptor expression across LG cell ty

SUBMITTER: Ba M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12720191 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature