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AIM:To investigate the expression of dendritic cell-associated C-type lectin-1(dectin-1) at the early period of <i>Aspergillus fumigatus</i> infection in rat’s corneal epithelium.METHODS:A total of 72 Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups:A, B and C. The right eyes were chosen as experimental eyes. Group A was control group. Rats in group B were not inoculated with <i>Aspergillus fumigatus</i>. Group C was taken as <i>Aspergillus fumigatus</i> keratitis model. Rats in group B and C (six from each group) were executed randomly at 4, 8, 16 and 24 hours after experimental model being established to assess the expression of dectin-1 mRNA through real-time PCR. Another six rats in group B and C were executed randomly at 24 hours to assess the expression of dectin-1 protein through immunohistochemistry.RESULTS:The results of real-time PCR indicated that dectin-1 mRNA expression was low in corneal epithelium of normal rats’. There was no significantly difference of dectin-1 mRNA expression in group A and B (<i>P</i>>0.05). The expression of <i>Aspergillus fumigatus</i> infected corneal epithelium increased gradually after 8 hours in group C. The synchronous expression of group A and C had significant difference (<i>P</i><0.01). Immunohistochemisty discovered that dectin-1 receptor existed in normal rat’s corneal epithelium . Dectin-1 protein increased after 24 hours in group C. There was a significant difference of synchronous expression in group B and C(<i>P</i><0.01).CONCLUSION:Dectin-1 exists in rat’s corneal epithelium and its expression significantly increases at the early period of <i>Aspergillus fumigatus</i> infection. Dectin-1 is a pattern recognition receptor that expresses in corneal epithelium and involves in immune response to <i>Aspergillus fungal </i>keratitis.