The Effect of Interleukin-1alpha on Trabecular Outflow Resistance in Rat Eyes

ABSTRACT

It was investigated if regulation of the trabecular extracellular matrix tumover rate and remodeling plays an important role in decreasing outflow resistance by determining the effect of intracamerally given interleukin-1alpha a known stimulator of the expression of trabecular matrix metallopro-teinases, on outflow facility of albino rat eyes. Forty normal albino rats (Sprague dawley) weighing 250 to 300gm were studied. Rats were anesthetized by intraperitoneal pentobarbital sodium(30mg/kg) injection. The rats were grouped into 4 groups and given 5, 10, 25, 50 units of interleukin-1alpha injected intracamerally in one eye of each rat. Bovine serum albumin in phosphate buffered saline, which was used to dissolve the interleukin-1alpha, was injected in the other eye as a control. Outflow facility was measured by two level constant pressure perfusion at 1, 3, and 7 days after injection. The eyes treated with 50 units of interleukin-1alpha showed a statistically significant increase of outflow facility by 37% compared to the contralateral control eyes at 3 days after injection, but retumed to normal level in 7 days. The eyes treated with 5, 10, 25, 50 units of interleukin-1alpha increased the outflow facility, supporting the hypothesis that regulation of trabecular meshwork extracellular matrix plays a role in trabecular outflow resistance.