qRT-PCR
Splenocytes or corneal tissues were lysed using RNA isolation reagent (RNA Bee, Tel-Test, Friendswood, TX) and homogenized with an ultrasound sonicator (Ultrasonic Processor, Cole Parmer Instruments, Vernon Hills, IL). Total RNA was extracted using RNeasy Mini kit (Qiagen, Hilden, Germany), and first-strand cDNA was synthesized by reverse transcription (High Capacity RNA-to-cDNATM Kit, Applied Biosystems, Carlsbad, CA). Real-time amplification was performed using TaqMan® Universal PCR Master Mix (Applied Biosystems) on an automated instrument (ABI 7500 Real Time PCR System, Applied Biosystems) for Fut1 or Thbs1 . The data were normalized toGapdh and expressed as fold changes relative to controls. All PCR probe sets were purchased from Applied Biosystems (TaqMan® Gene Expression Assay kits, Applied Biosystems).