[Animal Modeling]-Tree Shrew Fungal Keratitis Model

  Objective: To study the changes in the expression of mannose receptors and inflammatory factors in the cornea of tree shrews infected by Fusarium solani and to explore the mechanism of fungal infectious keratitis.

  Methods: The cornea of tree shrews was infected with Fusarium solani by contact lens assisted method. The animal models were evaluated by anterior photographs, pathological sections and observation results of in vivo confocal microscopy. qPCR detection of mannose receptors in the development of tree shrew keratitis 、Dectin-1, IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α expression; culture tree shrew primary corneal cells in vitro and carry out infection experiments.

  Results: The successful rate of establishment of tree shrew fungal keratitis model was 84%. MR and dectin-1 had high copy number positive expression at the initial stage of infection, which caused the peak expression of inflammatory factors IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α. The expression of factors was positively correlated with the severity of the disease. There was no significant difference in the expression of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α before and after corneal cell infection in vitro (P> 0.05).

  Conclusion: The established tree shrew model of fungal keratitis has a pathological appearance similar to that of human fungal keratitis. Mannose receptors may be involved in regulating the body's immune response to fungal infections, and the body's own immune capacity may be responsible for keratitis Disease onset and outcome play an important role.