AIM: To study the effect of rapamycin-loaded microspheres in non-obese diabetic(NOD)mice with dry eye caused by Sjögren's syndrome(SS).

METHODS: Twenty 8-week-old female NOD mice with dry eye caused by SS were randomly divided into 4 groups. One week later, the mice were treated with subconjunctival injection. GroupⅠ and Ⅱ received 200μg/kg and 400μg/kg rapamycin-loaded microspheres, Group Ⅲ and Ⅳ received normal saline and empty microspheres. Five 8-week-old female healthy KM mice were used as untreated controls. Before and 5, 10, 15, 20 days after the experiment, the amount of secretion of tears, the score of corneal fluorescein staining and rose bengal staining were investigated. Conjunctival epithelial cells were observed and graded by conjunctival impression cytology.

RESULTS: Compared with the group Ⅲ and Ⅳ, the amount of secretion of tears of the mice in groupⅠ and Ⅱ increased. The scores of corneal fluorescein staining and rose bengal staining were lower. The levels of conjunctival impression cytology reduced.

CONCLUSION: Rapamycin-loaded microspheres can decrease dry eye signs by alleviating the ocular surface inflammation of NOD mice. It suggests rapamycin-loaded microsphere is valuable to dry eye caused by SS.