AIM: To investigate the expression levels and clinical significance of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α(HIF-1α)and interleukin-17(IL-17)in conjunctival epithelial cells and tear fluid of patients with dry eyes.METHODS: Retrospective study. A total of 183 dry eye patients admitted to our hospital from February 2021 to March 2023 were selected, and 181 people who were physically healthy in our hospital during the same period were chosen as the control group. HIF-1α and IL-17 expression levels in conjunctival epithelial cells and tear fluid of the two groups of subjects were tested, and the diagnostic value of HIF-1α and IL-17 in conjunctival epithelial cells and tear fluid of the subjects in testing dry eyes was analyzed through receiver operating characteristics(ROC)curves.RESULTS: Compared with the control group, patients in the dry eye group had elevated levels of HIF-1α and IL-17 expression in conjunctival epithelial cells(all P<0.01); and HIF-1α and IL-17 expression increased in tear fluid(all P<0.01). Pearson correlation analysis showed that HIF-1α and IL-17 in the conjunctival epithelium and tear fluid of dry eye patients were negatively correlated with BUT and Schirmer I test(SⅠt), and positively correlated with corneal fluorescein staining scores(all P<0.05); expression levels of HIF-1α and IL-17 in conjunctival epithelial cells and tear fluid of dry eye patients showed positive correlation(all P<0.001). The area under the ROC curve showed that the AUC for the combined diagnosis of HIF-1α and IL-17 in conjunctival epithelium was significantly greater than the AUC for HIF-1α alone in conjunctival epithelium(Z=5.574, P<0.001). The AUC of IL-17 alone in conjunctival epithelial cells(Z=4.351, P<0.001)and the AUC of the combined HIF-1α, IL-17 in tear fluid were significantly greater than the AUC of HIF-1α alone(Z=3.583, P<0.001)and the AUC of IL-17 alone(Z=4.303, P<0.001).CONCLUSION: Conjunctival epithelial cells and tear fluid of dry eye patients have elevated expression levels of HIF-1α and IL-17, and joint detection of HIF-1α and IL-17 expression levels is of great value in the diagnosis of dry eye.

Exosomes are extracellular vesicles that can be secreted by various cells and widely exist in body fluids such as blood and urine. During the progression of respiratory tract diseases, exosomes derived from epithelial and immune cells can secrete substances such as RNA and proteins, disrupting the respiratory defense system and inducing or exacerbating the disease. Exosomes derived from circulating and lung tissues can be used as potential diagnostic markers for respiratory diseases, which greatly improves the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity for respiratory diseases such as tumors and infections. The treatment of respiratory diseases is also closely related to exosomes. The low immunogenicity and high compatibility of exosomes make them effective tools for delivering molecules and drugs for treatment.
Exosomes/immunology* ; Humans ; Respiratory Tract Diseases/therapy* ; Animals ; Biomarkers