PHOTODYNAMICALLY INDUCED ALTERATION OF CORNEA ENDOTHELIAL CELL-FUNCTION

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  • 1 January 1979
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 18  (12) , 1226-1231
Abstract
Corneal endothelial cells from rabbits were perfused in the specular microscope with varying concentrations of rose bengal. Corneas perfused with rose bengal in concentrations of 10-6 M-10-5 M and exposed to light for 0.5-5 min swelled more rapidly with increasing concentration of rose bengal and increasing duration of light exposure. Corneas perfused with similar concentrations of rose bengal but not exposed to light did not swell. Combining rose bengal with 100 .mu.g/ml superoxide dismutase did not reduce the corneal swelling following exposure to light, indicating that the photodynamically induced endothelial cell alteration was not an oxygen free radical effect. The addition of 200 .mu.g/ml catalase to the rose bengal perfusing solution eliminated corneal swelling following exposure of corneas to light. The photodynamic effect on endothelium apparently was secondary to cell functional alteration from the H2O produced during the dismutation reaction of superoxide free radical which is catalyzed by superoxide dismutase.