Effect of TGF-beta2 and anti-TGF-beta2 antibody in a new in vivo rodent model of posterior capsule opacification.
OBJECTIVE
This study evaluated the effect of transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta2 and anti-TGF-beta2 antibody in a rodent model of posterior capsule opacification (PCO).


METHODS
An extracapsular lens extraction (ECLE) was performed in 72 Sprague-Dawley rats. At the end of the procedure, 10 microL TGF-beta2 (TGF-beta2-treated group), fetal calf serum (FCS)/phosphate-buffered saline (PBS; FCS/PBS-treated control group), a human monoclonal TGF-beta2 antibody (anti-TGF-beta2-treated group), or a null control IgG4 antibody (null antibody-treated control group) was injected into the capsule. Animals were killed 3 and 14 days postoperatively. Eyes were evaluated clinically prior to euthanatization, then enucleated and processed for light microscopy and immunohistochemistry afterward. PCO was evaluated clinically and histopathologically. Student's t-test and chi(2) were used to assess differences between groups.


RESULTS
There were no statistically significant clinical or histopathological differences in degree of PCO between the TGF-beta2- and FCS/PBS-treated groups at 3 and 14 days after ECLE. Nor were there differences between the anti-TGF-beta2- and the null antibody-treated groups, with the exception of the histopathology score for capsule wrinkling 3 days after ECLE (P = 0.02). alpha-Smooth-muscle actin staining was observed in the lens capsular bag only in areas where there was close contact with the iris.


CONCLUSIONS
No sustained effect of TGF-beta2 or anti-TGF-beta2 antibody on PCO was found in rodents at the dose and timing administered in this study. Iris cells may play a role in the process of epithelial mesenchymal transition linked to PCO.
Lois
Noemi
N
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Aberdeen, Scotland, UK. noemilois@aol.com
Taylor
Julie
J
McKinnon
Alastair D
AD
Smith
Gillian C
GC
van't Hof
Rob
R
Forrester
John V
JV
D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002386:Cataract / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007903:Lens Capsule, Crystalline / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000276:immunology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D053781:Transforming Growth Factor beta2
D000199:Actins; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; C509041:TGFB2 protein, human; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D053781:Transforming Growth Factor beta2