Ultrastructural change of rabbit lens epithelial cell in the early stage of vitreous hemorrhage / 中华实验眼科杂志

ABSTRACT

Background Vitreous hemorrhage in long-term produces toxic substances and influent the metabolism of eye tissue.Lens capsule is found more thin and transparent in the eyes with chronic vitreous hemorrhage.To research the effect of vitreous hemorrhage to lens is very important for the choose of the phaco operative timing.Objective The aim of this work was to investigate the ultrastructural change of lens epithelial cells(LECs) in the eyes with experimental vitreous hemorrhage.Methods The autologous blood of 0.1 ml was intravitreally injected in the left eyes of 8 general New Zealand white rabbits,and the equal amount of phosphate buffered saline(pH7.4) was used at the same way in the right eyes.Vitreous and fundus were examined with direct ophthalmoscope on 1,3,5,9,15,20,25,30 days to assess the inflammatory response after intravitreal injection.The specimens of lens anterior capsule were obtained in 30 days after injection and the ultrastructure and apoptosis of LECs were evaluated under the transmission electron microscope. Results No obvious ocular inflammatory response was seen throughout the experimental duration,and there was no vitreous hemorrhage in the right eyes after intravitreal injection.The vitreous hemorrhage agglutinated with clear boundary in the left eyes on 1 day after intravitreal injection,and the hemorrhage turned into dark-red color on the fifth day.On the fifteenth day after injection,the hemorrhage mass became to be grey color and the vitreous liquefaction occurred in the left eyes.The hemorrhage disappeared until 25 days.But in the one month after injection of self-blood,the vitreous showed the deeper red color.The early apoptosis appeared in the LECs of the left eyes in the thirty day,presenting the enlargement and broaden of intercellular space,the decrease of mitochondria number,vacuolar change,expanse of endoplasmic reticulum and disappearance of the nuclear membrane structure. Conclusions Vitreous hemorrhage leads to the ultrastructural pathological changes of lens.