Figure 1. Average inflammatory mediator expression levels for each method and group. A: Contact lens (CL) group: For the microarray, eight inflammatory mediators had expression levels greater than the minimum detectable level (MDL) of the assay for the contact lens wearers: ICAM-1, MCP-1, MIG, GM-CSF, Eotaxin-2, IL-1ra, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2. Dry eye (DE) group: Of the inflammatory mediators represented in the microarray, eight had expression levels greater than the MDL: ICAM-1, IL-16, MCP-1, MCSF, MIG, TIMP-1, TIMP-2, and TNF-RI. Non-contact lens (NOR) group: For the non-contact lens wearers, six inflammatory mediators included in the microarray showed expression levels greater than the MDL: MCP-1, MCSF, MIG, TIMP-1, TIMP-2, and TNF-RI. B: CL group: Among the 12 inflammatory cytokines and one chemokine present in the Luminex magnetic bead kit, only four had expression levels greater than the MDL: IL-1β, IL-6, IL-7, and IL-8. Of these, only IL-7 was shown to express in all the subjects in the group. DE group: Of the 13 inflammatory mediators present in the Luminex magnetic bead kit, four had expression levels greater than the MDL of the assay: IL-1β, IL-6, IL-7, and IL-8. Of these four analytes, only IL-8 was present in all the subjects in the group, with IL-1β expression occurring the least, in only two subjects. NOR group: For the Luminex magnetic bead kit, four mediators showed detectable levels of expression: IL-4, IL-6, IL-7, and IL-8. Of these, only IL-7 and IL-8 were present in all the subjects in this group, with IL-4 occurring the least, expressing in only four subjects.