title: Cytotoxicity of indocyanine green on retinal pigment epithelium: implications for macular hole surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the potential cytotoxic effects of indocyanine green (ICG) on cultured human retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and the resultant implications for macular hole surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Human RPE cells were exposed to ICG in concentrations from 0.001 to 5 mg/mL. The exposure duration ranged from 5 minutes to 3 hours. Light microscopy, MTS viability assay, and calcein AM-ethidium homodimer 1 staining were used to evaluate the cytotoxic effects of ICG.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The RPE cells incubated with up to 5 mg/mL of ICG for 5 minutes or less exhibited no morphologic change and no significant decrease in dehydrogenase activity. When RPE cells were exposed to 5 mg/mL of ICG for 10 minutes, 1 mg/mL of ICG for 20 minutes, or 0.01 mg/mL of ICG for 3 hours, cell morphologic features were altered, mitochondrial dehydrogenase activity decreased, and some cells were necrotic.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Indocyanine green caused cytotoxicity in cultured human RPE in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Cell death occurred by necrosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Exposure of RPE cells to ICG concentrations up to 5 mg/mL for 5 minutes or less was not injurious; prolonged exposure to a low ICG concentration was toxic. Since ICG may be retained in the vitreous cavity for a lengthy period, thorough washout of ICG during macular hole surgery is required.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kuei-Shan, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jau-Der
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: Ray Jui-Fang
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: San-Ni
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Hung-Chiao
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D016923:Cell Death; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004396:Coloring Agents / Q000633:toxicity*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004996:Ethidium / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D005452:Fluoresceins; D006801:Humans; D007208:Indocyanine Green / Q000633:toxicity*; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D009336:Necrosis; D010088:Oxidoreductases / Q000378:metabolism; D010857:Pigment Epithelium of Eye / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D012167:Retinal Perforations / Q000601:surgery; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D004396:Coloring Agents; D005452:Fluoresceins; C085925:calcein AM; C018533:ethidium homodimer; D010088:Oxidoreductases; D004996:Ethidium; D007208:Indocyanine Green