Topically applied antibody fragments penetrate into the back of the rabbit eye.
OBJECTIVE
Antibody fragments have been shown to penetrate into the anterior chamber when applied to the cornea. The aim of this study was to investigate whether such fragments could penetrate into the vitreous cavity after topical administration to the ocular surface of rabbits.


METHODS
An engineered single-chain variable-domain antibody fragment with specificity for an irrelevant rat determinant was applied as a 50 microl eye drop to the eyes of live rabbits at 20-min intervals over 12 h. Eye drops contained 0.8-1.1 mg/ml protein in a buffered salt solution supplemented with penetration and viscosity enhancers. Samples were collected by paracentesis from the vitreous cavity immediately postmortem. Antibody fragments in these samples were quantified by measuring the binding activity to specific antigen, using flow cytometry.


RESULTS
Topically applied antibody fragments were detectable in the vitreous of rabbit eyes after 4-12 h but had cleared at 12 h following the final eye drop. Concentrations of the antibody fragment in the vitreous samples were estimated to be 50-150 ng/ml at 12 h. Penetration of the parental whole antibody into the vitreous was not observed.


CONCLUSIONS
Antibody fragments penetrate into the vitreous chamber of the rabbit eye after topical administration to the ocular surface. Such fragments may have therapeutic potential for diseases affecting the posterior segment.
Williams
K A
KA
Department of Ophthalmology, Flinders University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia. keryn.williams@flinders.edu.au
Brereton
H M
HM
Farrall
A
A
Standfield
S D
SD
Taylor
S D
SD
Kirk
L A
LA
Coster
D J
DJ
D000287:Administration, Topical; D000818:Animals; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D003315:Cornea / Q000378:metabolism; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000379:methods; D007128:Immunoglobulin Fragments / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D011817:Rabbits; D014822:Vitreous Body / Q000378:metabolism*
D015704:CD4 Antigens; D007128:Immunoglobulin Fragments; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions