AIM:To investigate the effect of inflammatory cytokines interleukin-6(IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) in aqueous tear deficiency dry eye disease in rat.METHODS:Forty-eight SD rats were randomly divided into experimental group and control group.In experimental group,lacrimal gland was removed for dry eye model,but the rats were without treatment in the control group.One day before the experiment and after 1 week,2,4 weeks tear secretion repectively after the experiment,tear film break-up time and corneal staining was done under a microscope camera crack.After 4 weeks,the rats died of spinal cord transaction.IL-6,TNF-α in the conjunctive and corneal tissues was detected by immunohistochemistry.RESULTS:Wet filter paper length of Schirmer I and tear film break-up time were shorter in the experimental group than that in the normal group (P<0.01),IL-6,TNF-α expression was more strongly expressed in the experimental group than in the control group.The difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).CONCLUSION:Cytokines plays an important role in the pathogenesis and inflammation of aqueous tear deficiency dry eye.