AIM:To establish an immune tolerance model for allergic conjunctivitis in newborn mice with different methods and observe the impact of environmental factors on allergic conjunctivitis in early life.

METHOD: A total of 50 Balb/c newborn mice were randomly divided into blank control group, ovalbumin(OVA)+subcutaneous injection group, OVA+nebulized inhalation group, OVA+gastric group, ragweed pollen(RW)+subcutaneous injection group, RW+nebulized inhalation group, RW+gastric group, house dust mite(HDM)+subcutaneous injection group, HDM+nebulized inhalation group, HDM+intragastric group(n=5 animals/group). Except for the blank control group, mice in each group were individually exposed to the corresponding antigens to induce immune tolerance early in life and stimulated with the corresponding antigens in adulthood. The ocular surface was visualized by anterior segment photography. The relative expression level of conjunctival RANTES and IL-17 mRNA was measured by RT-qPCR and serum IL-17 concentration was measured by ELISA.

RESULTS: Compared with the blank control group, the relative expression level of conjunctiva IL-17 mRNA in RW+gastric group was the highest, and it was the lowest in RW+subcutaneous group(all P<0.05). The relative expression level of conjunctiva RANTES mRNA was the highest in RW+gastric group(P<0.001). Compared with the blank control group, the serum concentration of IL-17 was increased in all treatment groups except OVA+nebulizer group and RW+subcutaneous group(P<0.05).

CONCLUSION: The immune tolerance of allergic conjunctivitis induced by subcutaneous injection of antigen was the most suitable method in the early life of mice.