Association of interferon regulatory factor 8 dysregulation with dry eye in Sjögren’s syndrome

AIM: To investigate the expression of interferon regulatory factors (IRFs) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of patients with Sjögren's syndrome-related dry eye (SSDE) and to explore their correlation with clinical features, dendritic cell activation, and serological indicators. MET...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Jiao Wang, Guang-Hong Chu, Zi-Huan Wang, Xiao-Yu Cai, Si-Yuan Shi, Qi-Ping Qing, Qi Zhang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Press of International Journal of Ophthalmology (IJO PRESS) 2025-08-01
Series:International Journal of Ophthalmology
Subjects:
Online Access:http://ies.ijo.cn/en_publish/2025/8/20250805.pdf
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849317532640477184
author Jiao Wang
Guang-Hong Chu
Zi-Huan Wang
Xiao-Yu Cai
Si-Yuan Shi
Qi-Ping Qing
Qi Zhang
author_facet Jiao Wang
Guang-Hong Chu
Zi-Huan Wang
Xiao-Yu Cai
Si-Yuan Shi
Qi-Ping Qing
Qi Zhang
author_sort Jiao Wang
collection DOAJ
description AIM: To investigate the expression of interferon regulatory factors (IRFs) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of patients with Sjögren's syndrome-related dry eye (SSDE) and to explore their correlation with clinical features, dendritic cell activation, and serological indicators. METHODS: A total of 53 SSDE patients and 62 non-Sjögren's syndrome dry eye (NSSDE) patients were enrolled. Demographic and clinical data were collected, and comprehensive ophthalmic examinations were performed, including the ocular surface disease index (OSDI) questionnaires, Schirmer I test (SIT), tear break-up time (TBUT), corneal fluorescein staining score (CFS), and in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM). PBMCs were isolated, and IRFs expression levels were analyzed using Western blotting (WB) and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Serological indicators, including antinuclear antibodies (ANA) and anti-Ro60, anti-Ro52, and anti-La autoantibodies, were detected. Statistical analyses evaluated correlations between IRFs expression and clinical parameters. RESULTS: Compared to NSSDE, the relative mRNA and protein expression of the IRF-8 was significantly upregulated in patients with SSDE (P<0.001), whereas no significant differences were observed in IRF-1, IRF-3, IRF-5, and IRF-7 (P=0.12, P=0.10, P=0.66, P=0.96). Correlation analysis revealed that IRF-8 expression was positively associated with CFS and OSDI scores (r=0.57, r=0.38, both P<0.05). Moreover, IRF-8 expression correlated with corneal dendritic cell (DC) density and size, and the number of dendrites (r=0.43, r=0.40, r=0.65, all P<0.05). IRF-8 expression was significantly elevated in patients positive for anti-Ro60, anti-Ro52 and anti-La autoantibodies (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: In SSDE, IRF-8 is upregulated and associated with clinical features, DC activation, and serological indicators. These findings suggest that IRF-8 plays a critical role in SSDE pathogenesis and may serve as a potential therapeutic target for diagnosis and treatment.
format Article
id doaj-art-d49e1f09439b4d28b6b3344d1e35b511
institution Kabale University
issn 2222-3959
2227-4898
language English
publishDate 2025-08-01
publisher Press of International Journal of Ophthalmology (IJO PRESS)
record_format Article
series International Journal of Ophthalmology
spelling doaj-art-d49e1f09439b4d28b6b3344d1e35b5112025-08-20T03:51:09ZengPress of International Journal of Ophthalmology (IJO PRESS)International Journal of Ophthalmology2222-39592227-48982025-08-011881456146310.18240/ijo.2025.08.0520250805Association of interferon regulatory factor 8 dysregulation with dry eye in Sjögren’s syndromeJiao Wang0Guang-Hong Chu1Zi-Huan Wang2Xiao-Yu Cai3Si-Yuan Shi4Qi-Ping Qing5Qi Zhang6Qi Zhang. The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Chongqing Eye Institute, Chongqing Branch (Municipality Division) of National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Chongqing 400016, China. cqzqwxm@163.comThe First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Chongqing Eye Institute, Chongqing Branch (Municipality Division) of National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Chongqing 400016, China;Co-first Authors: Jiao Wang and Guang-Hong ChuThe First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Chongqing Eye Institute, Chongqing Branch (Municipality Division) of National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Chongqing 400016, China;Co-first Authors: Jiao Wang and Guang-Hong ChuThe First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Chongqing Eye Institute, Chongqing Branch (Municipality Division) of National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Chongqing 400016, China;Co-first Authors: Jiao Wang and Guang-Hong ChuThe First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Chongqing Eye Institute, Chongqing Branch (Municipality Division) of National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Chongqing 400016, China;Co-first Authors: Jiao Wang and Guang-Hong ChuThe First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Chongqing Eye Institute, Chongqing Branch (Municipality Division) of National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Chongqing 400016, China;Co-first Authors: Jiao Wang and Guang-Hong ChuThe First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Chongqing Eye Institute, Chongqing Branch (Municipality Division) of National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Chongqing 400016, China;Co-first Authors: Jiao Wang and Guang-Hong ChuAIM: To investigate the expression of interferon regulatory factors (IRFs) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of patients with Sjögren's syndrome-related dry eye (SSDE) and to explore their correlation with clinical features, dendritic cell activation, and serological indicators. METHODS: A total of 53 SSDE patients and 62 non-Sjögren's syndrome dry eye (NSSDE) patients were enrolled. Demographic and clinical data were collected, and comprehensive ophthalmic examinations were performed, including the ocular surface disease index (OSDI) questionnaires, Schirmer I test (SIT), tear break-up time (TBUT), corneal fluorescein staining score (CFS), and in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM). PBMCs were isolated, and IRFs expression levels were analyzed using Western blotting (WB) and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Serological indicators, including antinuclear antibodies (ANA) and anti-Ro60, anti-Ro52, and anti-La autoantibodies, were detected. Statistical analyses evaluated correlations between IRFs expression and clinical parameters. RESULTS: Compared to NSSDE, the relative mRNA and protein expression of the IRF-8 was significantly upregulated in patients with SSDE (P<0.001), whereas no significant differences were observed in IRF-1, IRF-3, IRF-5, and IRF-7 (P=0.12, P=0.10, P=0.66, P=0.96). Correlation analysis revealed that IRF-8 expression was positively associated with CFS and OSDI scores (r=0.57, r=0.38, both P<0.05). Moreover, IRF-8 expression correlated with corneal dendritic cell (DC) density and size, and the number of dendrites (r=0.43, r=0.40, r=0.65, all P<0.05). IRF-8 expression was significantly elevated in patients positive for anti-Ro60, anti-Ro52 and anti-La autoantibodies (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: In SSDE, IRF-8 is upregulated and associated with clinical features, DC activation, and serological indicators. These findings suggest that IRF-8 plays a critical role in SSDE pathogenesis and may serve as a potential therapeutic target for diagnosis and treatment.http://ies.ijo.cn/en_publish/2025/8/20250805.pdfinterferon regulatory factorssjögren's syndromedry eye
spellingShingle Jiao Wang
Guang-Hong Chu
Zi-Huan Wang
Xiao-Yu Cai
Si-Yuan Shi
Qi-Ping Qing
Qi Zhang
Association of interferon regulatory factor 8 dysregulation with dry eye in Sjögren’s syndrome
International Journal of Ophthalmology
interferon regulatory factors
sjögren's syndrome
dry eye
title Association of interferon regulatory factor 8 dysregulation with dry eye in Sjögren’s syndrome
title_full Association of interferon regulatory factor 8 dysregulation with dry eye in Sjögren’s syndrome
title_fullStr Association of interferon regulatory factor 8 dysregulation with dry eye in Sjögren’s syndrome
title_full_unstemmed Association of interferon regulatory factor 8 dysregulation with dry eye in Sjögren’s syndrome
title_short Association of interferon regulatory factor 8 dysregulation with dry eye in Sjögren’s syndrome
title_sort association of interferon regulatory factor 8 dysregulation with dry eye in sjogren s syndrome
topic interferon regulatory factors
sjögren's syndrome
dry eye
url http://ies.ijo.cn/en_publish/2025/8/20250805.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT jiaowang associationofinterferonregulatoryfactor8dysregulationwithdryeyeinsjogrenssyndrome
AT guanghongchu associationofinterferonregulatoryfactor8dysregulationwithdryeyeinsjogrenssyndrome
AT zihuanwang associationofinterferonregulatoryfactor8dysregulationwithdryeyeinsjogrenssyndrome
AT xiaoyucai associationofinterferonregulatoryfactor8dysregulationwithdryeyeinsjogrenssyndrome
AT siyuanshi associationofinterferonregulatoryfactor8dysregulationwithdryeyeinsjogrenssyndrome
AT qipingqing associationofinterferonregulatoryfactor8dysregulationwithdryeyeinsjogrenssyndrome
AT qizhang associationofinterferonregulatoryfactor8dysregulationwithdryeyeinsjogrenssyndrome