Tear Interferon-Gamma as a Biomarker for Evaporative Dry Eye Disease.

Purpose: To assess whether tear hyperosmolarity, being diagnostic of dry eye disease (DED), is associated with specific alterations to the cytokine content of human tears that may provide a biomarker for DED.

Methods: In this prospective, cross-sectional, clinical study, participants (n = 77) were recruited from a single clinical site and categorized into groups based upon tear osmolarity status (n = 62 hyperosmolar, n = 15 normo-osmolar). Comprehensive anterior eye clinical assessments were undertaken.

Generation of Adaptive Immune Responses Following Influenza Virus Challenge is Not Compromised by Pre-Treatment with the TLR-2 Agonist Pam2Cys.

Immunostimulatory agents provide a new category of anti-microbial agents that activate the host's innate immune system allowing control of viral and/or bacterial infections. The TLR-2 agonist PEG-Pam2Cys has been shown to mediate potent anti-viral activity against influenza viruses when administered prophylactically (1). Here, we demonstrate that the treatment of mice with PEG-Pam2Cys does not compromise their ability to generate adaptive immune responses following subsequent challenge with influenza virus.