An alternative method of steroid-induced lens opacification in brown norway rat eyes applying systemic pulse administration.
OBJECTIVE
To confirm whether long-term administration of prednisolone sodium succinate (prednisolone) alone is able to induce cataract in rat eyes.


METHODS
A 1% solution of prednisolone was administered topically as eye drops to Brown Norway rat eyes, and a systemic pulse administration of 10 mg/kg/day was given via the tail vein. Both administration methods were applied in different combinations. Eighty-three 6-week-old male rats were divided into 8 groups: group 1 = control; group 2 = topical instillation every day; group 3 = single pulse; group 4 = single pulse + eye drops; group 5 = 3 times pulse; group 6 = 3 times pulse + eye drops; group 7 = 3 times pulse per 2 months; group 8 = 3 times pulse per 2 months + eye drops. Observations for changes of lens transparency were made by slitlamp microscopy and documented by an anterior eye segment analysis system (Nidek EAS-1000) from the onset of drug administration to a maximum period of 16 months.


RESULTS
Lens opacity in the shallow anterior and posterior lens layers developed from the tenth month following commencement of prednisolone administration. The incidence of anterior and/or posterior cortical cataract at the sixteenth month was 15% in group 2, 12.5% in group 5, 25% in group 6, 17.9% in group 7 and 35.3% in group 8. The lenses of groups 1, 3 and 4 maintained their transparency throughout the observation period. Light scattering intensity in groups 8 and 7 was the highest, followed by groups 6 and 5, then groups 2, 4, 3 and 1.


CONCLUSIONS
Cortical cataract was successfully induced in Brown Norway rat eyes by sustained administration of prednisolone succinate alone applied as systemic pulse.
Department of Ophthalmology, Kanazawa Medical University, Ishikawa, Japan. k-nagai@kanazawa-med.ac.jp
Kouta
K
Nagai
Hiroshi
H
Sasaki
Masami
M
Kojima
Kazuyuki
K
Sasaki
D000818:Animals; D002386:Cataract / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D007908:Lens, Crystalline / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000633:toxicity*; D020551:Pulse Therapy, Drug; D051381:Rats; D011914:Rats, Inbred BN
D005938:Glucocorticoids; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D011239:Prednisolone; C021322:prednisolone hemisuccinate