Whereas the TUNEL-positive cell number was significantly augmented by addition of H89 or PD98059 to the corneas of α-MSH-treated dry eye rats (Fig. 5A,B, D+α-MSH vs D+H89+α-MSH, D+α-MSH vs D+PD+α-MSH, both p < 0.001). This evidence concerns the gene STAMBP and Keratoconjunctivitis sicca.