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Updated: Mar 23, 2026
Induction of Ocular Surface Inflammation and Collection of Involved Tissues
Published on: August 4, 2022
Topical Administration of β-1,3-Glucan to Modulate Allergic Conjunctivitis in a Murine Model
Hyun Soo Lee1, Ji Young Kwon2, Choun-Ki Joo1
1Catholic Institute of Visual Science, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea 2Department of Ophthalmology, Catholic Institute for Visual Science, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea.
Purpose:
Recent studies on β-1,3-glucan (BG), a cell wall component of a variety of fungi, yeasts, and bacteria, demonstrated that it affects the balance of Th1/Th2 immune responses. We therefore determined whether topical application of BG modulates ocular allergy in a murine model.
Methods:
We sensitized 7- to 8-week-old BALB/c mice once with ovalbumin (OVA) and aluminum hydroxide via intraperitoneal injection. Mice were rested for 2 weeks and then challenged by instillation of OVA eye drops once daily for 13 days. We administered BG eye drops 5 minutes after OVA challenge once daily. Clinical signs were measured, the infiltration of eosinophils and mast cells into conjunctiva was assessed with flow cytometry, and the serum levels of OVA-specific IgE production and Th2 cytokines after in vitro stimulation of T cells in draining lymph nodes (LN) were determined.
Results:
Mice treated with BG showed attenuated allergic conjunctivitis, as indicated by clinical signs and decreased production of serum OVA-specific IgE. In addition, BG treatment led to decreased infiltration of CD45+ immune cells, eosinophils, and mast cells into the conjunctiva, compared with the mice treated with vehicle alone (control mice). Administration of BG suppressed Th2 cytokine production in in vitro T-cell assays partially through the induction of interleukin (IL)-10-producing CD4 T cells in draining LNs.
Conclusions:
Taken together, these results suggest that BG is capable of stimulating IL-10-producing CD4+ T cells and suppressing both the Th2 response in draining LNs and conjunctival eosinophil infiltration. We therefore demonstrated the therapeutic potential of topical BG administration for allergic conjunctivitis.
