Injection of cultured autologous fibroblasts into the subconjunctival space of rabbits treated with mitomycin C.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether cultured autologous fibroblasts injected into the subconjunctival space of rabbit may be used as a new treatment modality for conjunctival and subconjunctival atrophy caused by mitomycin C (MMC).


METHODS
Animal study.


METHODS
Thirty New Zealand White rabbits were divided into three groups of 10 animals. A situation similar to bleb leakage after trabeculectomy with MMC was created by injecting 0.1 ml of MMC 0.05% weekly for three weeks into the subconjunctival space of 30 eyes of these 30 rabbits. The animals were then divided into control, autologous blood injection, and cultured autologous fibroblast injection groups. Conjunctiva changes were then observed, and eyes were enucleated for histopathologic study at one, two, four, six, and eight weeks after surgery in each of the three groups.


RESULTS
In the control group, the conjunctiva was thin and transparent, and subconjunctival fibroblasts were hardly visible, with coarsely arranged collagen fibers. In contrast, the autologous fibroblast injection group showed a thickened and less transparent conjunctiva along with packed fibroblasts and collagen fibers. In the autologous blood injection group, the transparency of the conjunctiva and the density of fibroblast and collagen fiber arrangement lay between those of the control and autologous fibroblast injection groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Cultured autologous fibroblast injection may be a feasible and effective treatment modality for conjunctival and subconjunctival atrophy caused by MMC.
Hwang
Jeong-Min
JM
Department of Ophthalmology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seongnam, Korea.
Kee
Changwon
C
D000818:Animals; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001284:Atrophy / Q000139:chemically induced; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D003229:Conjunctival Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000637:transplantation*; D005355:Fibrosis / Q000517:prevention & control; D007267:Injections; D016685:Mitomycin / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011817:Rabbits; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous
D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D016685:Mitomycin