Table 2A.

Conclusions of DED Studies by C. Plugfelder's Team at Baylor College of Medicine (2009-13)

Year	Title	Conclusion
2013	Dry Eye as Mucosal Autoimmune Disease64	Dry eye is a localized autoimmune disease originating from an imbalance in the protective immunoregulatory and proinflammatory pathways of the ocular surface.
2013	Toll-Like Receptor Expression and Activation in Mice with Experimental Dry Eye 68	Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are involved in dysfunctional tear syndrome (DTS) inflammation
2012	Autoantibodies Contribute to the Immuno-pathogenesis of Experimental Dry Eye Disease 69	Autoantibody deposition within the ocular surface tissues contributes to the predominantly T-cell-mediated immunopathogenesis of dry eye disease.
2012	Deletion of interferon-gamma Delays the Onset and Deverity of Dacryoadenitis in CD25KO Mice 70	The deletion of IFN-γ in the CD25KO mice strain (γDKO ) delays glandular destruction and preserves glandular function. M3R autoantibodies increased with aging in both the γDKO and the CD25KO strains. The decrease in LG function in yDKO correlated with the degree of T-cell infiltration and the presence of M3R autoantibodies.
2012	Resolvin El (RX-10001) Reduces Corneal Epithelial Barrier Disruption and Protects Against Goblet Cell Loss in a Murine Model of Dry Eye 71	Endogenous resolvins and resolvin analogues may have potential utility in the treatment of dry eye.
2011	Disruption of TGF-beta Signaling Improves Ocular Surface Epithelial Disease in Experimental Autoimmune Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca 72	Disruption of TGF-β signaling in CD4(+) T cells causes paradoxical improvement of dry eye disease in mice subjected to desiccating stress.
2011	Homeostatic Control of Conjunctival Mucosal Goblet Cells by NKT-derived IL-13 73	NKT cells are major sources of IL-13 in the conjunctival mucosa that regulates GC homeostasis.
2010	Induction of Th17 Differentiation by Corneal Epithelial-Derived Cytokines 74	Th17 differentiation can be promoted by cytokines produced by corneal epithelium that are exposed to hyperosmotic, microbial, and inflammatory stimuli.
2010	Autoimmunity at the Ocular Surface: Pathogenesis and Regulation 75	Environmental, microbial and endogenous stress, antigen localization, and genetic factors provide the triggers underlying the immunological events that shape the outcome of the diverse spectrum of autoimmune-based ocular surface disorders.
2010	An Immunoprotective Privilege of Corneal Epithelial Stem Cells Against Th17 Inflammatory Stress by Producing Glial Cell-Derived neurotrophic Factor 76	Limbal progenitor cell-produced neurotrophic factor GDNF suppresses IL-17-mediated inflammation via NF-κB signaling pathway. This may represent a unique immunoprotective property of imbal stem cells against inflammatory challenges on the ocular surface.
2009	Spontaneous T Cell Mediated Keratoconjunctivitis in Aire-Deficient Mice 77	Aire-deficiency leads to infiltration of CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells on the ocular surface and meibomian glands, accompanied by goblet cell loss. Desiccating stress promotes this proinflammatory milieu. Immune-mediated mechanisms play a role in the severe blepharitis andkeratoconjunctivitis in the murine model of APECED.