Pseudomonas aeruginosa-induced inflammation in the rat extended-wear contact lens model.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the early host response to Pseudomonas aeruginosa challenge in the extended contact lens-wearing rat model.


METHODS
Lewis rats were fitted with extended-wear lotrafilcon A hydrogel lenses in the left eye, and the right eye served as the control. Bacterial challenge was initiated in the experimental eye by fitting a bacteria-soaked contact lens and by topical delivery of the bacteria. On first detection of corneal opacity, slitlamp examination, histopathologic examination, viable bacteria counts, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, myeloperoxidase, Langerhans cell detection, and multiprobe ribonuclease protection assays were used to evaluate the early corneal response.


RESULTS
Analysis of bacterially challenged contact lens-wearing versus control rats showed Langerhans cells and polymorphonuclear neutrophils only in the experimentally challenged cornea. In addition, in the experimentally challenged cornea, ribonuclease protection and enzyme-linked immunosorbent analyses showed an upregulation of proinflammatory cytokines, including interleukins 1beta and 6, suggesting that with contact lens wear, these cytokines contribute to the early corneal response and, potentially, disease.


CONCLUSIONS
The contact lens-wearing rat model allows a unique analysis of the early effects of bacterial challenge in extended-wear contact lenses in the absence of corneal scarring, used in most rodent models. The rat model should be valuable to delineate further the effects of contact lens wear, including the testing of additional contact lens-related complications.
Szliter
E A
EA
Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA.
Barrett
Ronald P
RP
Gabriel
Manal M
MM
Zhang
Yunfan
Y
Hazlett
Linda D
LD
D000818:Animals; D003262:Contact Lenses, Extended-Wear / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000382:microbiology*; D003315:Cornea / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D015818:Eye Infections, Bacterial / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D007634:Keratitis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D007801:Langerhans Cells / Q000473:pathology; D016459:Prosthesis-Related Infections / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew
D007375:Interleukin-1; D015850:Interleukin-6