Low vitamin E level as a subliminal risk factor in a rat model of prednisolone-induced cataract.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the relationship between vitamin E deficiency and prednisolone-induced cataract formation, long-term examination of lens changes was performed in rats under the condition of vitamin E deficiency or supplementation and administration of prednisolone.


METHODS
Rats were divided into six groups: normal chow (N), vitamin E-deficient chow (ED), normal chow with prednisolone instillation (NP), vitamin E-deficient chow with prednisolone instillation (EDP), NP treatment with vitamin E supplementation (NP+VE), and EDP treatment with vitamin E supplementation (EDP+VE). Prednisolone (1 mg/kg small middle dot d) and vitamin E (5%; 10 microL per administration per eye, 1 mg/kg small middle dot d) were applied in the cul-de-sac. Lens changes were documented and analyzed. Vitamin E status was confirmed by measuring peroxide-induced hemolysis.


RESULTS
After 15 months, 91.7% of the eyes in the EDP group showed development of anterior and posterior cortical cataracts. Supplementation with vitamin E significantly reduced cataract formation (to 38.9% of eyes). Neither a vitamin E-deficient diet nor prednisolone treatment alone significantly increased cataract formation. Hemolysis-susceptibility tests confirmed the expected vitamin E status of rats fed vitamin E-deficient chow and rats supplemented with eye drops containing vitamin E.


CONCLUSIONS
Vitamin E deficiency and long-term prednisolone treatment together cause cataracts. Singly, however, both conditions are subliminal cataractogenic risk factors.
Kojima
Masami
M
Department of Ophthalmology, Medical Research Institute, Kanazawa Medical University, Uchinada, Kahoku-gun, Ishikawa, Japan. m-kojima@kanazawa-med.ac.jp
Shui
Ying Bo
YB
Murano
Hidekazu
H
Nagata
Masanobu
M
Hockwin
Otto
O
Sasaki
Kazuyuki
K
Takahashi
Nobuo
N
D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D002386:Cataract / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000633:toxicity*; D007908:Lens, Crystalline / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000633:toxicity*; D051381:Rats; D011914:Rats, Inbred BN; D012307:Risk Factors; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014811:Vitamin E Deficiency / Q000150:complications*
D005938:Glucocorticoids; D014810:Vitamin E; C009935:prednisolone acetate; D011239:Prednisolone