title: Inhibition effect of tetrandrine on haze formation after Epi-LASIK surgery in rabbits.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the inhibitory effect of tetrandrine on haze formation after Epi-LASIK surgery in rabbits.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-seven healthy New Zealand rabbits were selected and underwent Epi-LASIK surgery. According to a self comparison principle, these rabbits were randomly divided into three groups. The first group was treated with tetrandrine eye drops (Tet), the second (negative control, NC) group was treated with pure solvent, and the third group was treated with fluorometholone (FML) solvent. Haze grades of each group were respectively observed by slit lamp exam at half-month, one month, and two months after surgery. After corneal tissues were extracted, optical microscopy, Sirius Red staining, immunohistochemistry, and semi-quantitative RT-PCR tests were conducted, in order to test collagen formation of operated eyes after surgery and expression of transformation growth factor beta 2 (TGF-β(2)) in corneal stroma.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At a half month and one month after surgery, haze grades and type III collagen expression in Tet and FML groups were significantly lower than that in NC groups (P < 0.01). No statistical difference was observed between Tet and FML groups. Immunohistochemistry showed that, at each time point after surgery, expressions of TGF-β(2) protein in Tet and FML groups were significantly lower than that in the NC group (P < 0.01), whereas there was no statistical difference between Tet and FML groups. The expression level of TGF-β(2) protein increased, reaching its peak one month after surgery. RT-PCR also showed that, at each point after surgery, the TGF-β(2) mRNA expression in Tet and FML groups was lower than that in the NC group (P < 0.01), nevertheless no statistical difference was observed between Tet and FML groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Like FML, Tet could inhibit haze formation in rabbits after Epi-LASIK surgery, possible through TGF-β(2)-collagen-III pathway.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China. dr.duzhiyu@163.com
authors.forename: Zhiyu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: Wuxiao
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Zheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Chao Kai
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Weifeng
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D044182:Benzylisoquinolines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D024061:Collagen Type III / Q000378:metabolism; D003318:Corneal Opacity / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003319:Corneal Stroma / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D005469:Fluorometholone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D020731:Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ; D008297:Male; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D011817:Rabbits; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D053781:Transforming Growth Factor beta2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D044182:Benzylisoquinolines; D024061:Collagen Type III; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D053781:Transforming Growth Factor beta2; C009438:tetrandrine; D005469:Fluorometholone