RESUMO
PURPOSE: Epiretinal membrane in proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) may cause tractional retinal detachment after vitreoretinal surgery. It has been thought that the proliferative membrane is mainly composed of choroidal fibroblasts and retinal pigment epithelial cells. Inspite of the technical advances, the treatment of PVR is still difficult. Therefore, the need for phamarcologic treatment of proliferative vitreoretinopathy is increasing. METHODS: In vitro models of proliferative vitreoretinopathy allow to identify the factors which may inhibit proliferation and contraction of collagen matrix by choroidal fibroblast and retinal pigment epithelial cells. Cultured choroidal fibroblasts and the RPE cells were plated to the collagen matrix and antiproliferative drugs was tested. RESULTS: Each antiproliferative drug showed the inhibition of collagen matrix contraction at following concentration: colchicine(0.1 microgram/ml), puromycin(1~10 microgram/ml), cytochalasin B(0.05 microgram/ml). Transmission electron micrograph of collagen matrices showed dense collagen fibers surrounding choroidal fibroblast and fine collagen fibers surrounding RPE cell. Scanning electron micrograph of collagen matrices contaning colchicine, puromycin, or cytochalasin B showed that collagen fibers were well preserved without distortion. All collagen matrices containing RPE cells showed more fine collagen fibers than those containing choroidal fibroblasts. CONCLUSION: Colchicine, puromycin, cytochalasin B showed inhibitory effect on cell mediated contraction in addition to potent antiproliferative effect. Retinal pigment epithelial cell played less significant role in causing PVR than choroidal fibroblast.