Table 1.

Summary of Findings in Ocular Surface and Lacrimal Gland with Aging

Parameters	Age comparison with young mice (8 weeks)	Middle-aged (6–9 months) mice	Old (24 months) mice	Significant sex effect/time point
Ocular surface parameters	Corneal irregularity	↑∗	↑∗	F = M
	Corneal permeability	↑∗	ND	F >> M
	GC density	↓∗	↓∗	M << F (24 months)
	CD4+ T-cell infiltration in conjunctiva	↑∗	↑∗†	M > F
Gene expression analysis in cornea and conjunctiva	MMP-9 mRNA in cornea	↑∗	↑∗†	F > M (24 months)
	IL-17A mRNA in cornea	↑∗	↑∗†	F > M (6–9 months and 24 months)
	CCL20 mRNA in cornea	↑∗	↑∗†	F > M (24 months)
	IFN-γ mRNA in conjunctiva	∅	↑∗†	M > F (24 months)
	IL-17A mRNA in conjunctiva	↑∗	↑∗†	F > M
	IL-13/IFN-γ ratio in conjunctiva	↓∗	↓∗	↓ M, ∅ F
	IL-17/IFN-γ ratio in conjunctiva	↑∗	↑∗†	F >> M
LG evaluation	Tear volume	↑∗	↑∗†	F = M
	Tear EGF concentration	↑∗	↑∗	M > F (24 months)
	CD4+ T-cell infiltration	↑∗	↑∗†	M > F (24 months)
	CD8+ T-cell infiltration	↑∗	↑∗†	M > F (24 months)
	B-cell infiltration	↑∗	↑∗†	F > M (24 months)
	CD11c+MHC II+	∅	↓∗†	F = M (24 months)
	CD11b+MHC II+	∅	↓∗†	F = M (24 months)

Mice were compared with young mice (8 weeks old).

F, female; M, male; CCL20, chemokine ligand 20; EGF, epidermal growth factor; GC, goblet cell; IFN-γ, interferon γ; LG, lacrimal gland; MHC, major histocompatibility complex; MMP-9, matrix metallopeptidase 9; ND, not determined; ∅, no change; ↑, increase; ↓, decrease.

^∗P ≤ 0.05 compared to young mice.

^†P ≤ 0.05 compared to 6- to 9-month-old mice.