AIM: To explore the changes of macrophage migration inhibitory factor(MIF), interleukin 1(IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-α)levels in the botulium toxin B-induced murine dry eye model.

METHODS: The rats were randomly divided into two groups, 20 mice received injection of botulium toxin B(0.1mL), and 10 mice were injected physiological saline(0.1mL). Schirmer I test, corneal fluorescein staining and the levels of MIF, IL-6,TNF-α were performed before and 3, 7, 28, 42 days after injection. The levels of MIF, IL-6, TNF-α were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).

RESULTS: The tear production was significantly decreased at 4 points and the corneal fluorescein staining increased at 5 points in BTX-B-injected mice compared with control mice. In the BTX-B-injected mice, the level of IL-1β increased significantly at the 3 days and 1, 4, 6 week, and the level of MIF in lacrimal gland increased significantly since the 4^th week compared with control mice. The level of TNF-α has no difference between the two groups.

CONCLUSION: Injection botulium toxin B can successfully established the mice model of dry eye. This model has the characteristic changes of the expression of inflammatory factors, which is an ideal animal model for dry eye experiment.