title: Effect of Brilliant Blue G on the retinal ganglion cells of rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effects of Brilliant Blue G (BBG) on rat retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), both in vitro and in vivo.
  
  
  METHODS
  In vitro, rat RGCs were purified by a 2-step immunopanning procedure, briefly exposed to BBG (250 mg/L), and irradiated with an endoilluminator for 15 minutes or incubated in the presence of BBG (concentration, 2-250 mg/L) without irradiation. The number of viable RGCs was counted after 3 days in culture. In vivo, after rats received an intravitreal injection of 3 μL of BBG (0.25 and 2.5 mg/L), the number of viable RGCs was examined by a 1,1'-dioctadecyl-1-3,3,3',3'-tetramethylindocarbocyanine perchlorate-retrolabeling technique.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In vitro, a brief exposure to BBG and irradiation did not affect RGC survival. However, BBG reduced the number of viable RGCs in a dose-dependent manner when the cells were exposed for 3 days. In vivo, when rats received an intravitreous injection of 0.25 mg/L BBG, the number of viable RGCs was not affected. The number of viable RGCs showed a tendency to decrease in the 2.5-mg/L group 14 days after the injection, but the difference was not significant compared with the number in the saline-treated control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Brilliant Blue G exerts no detectable detrimental effect on RGCs after short-time exposure, and no significant toxic effect even after a longer-time exposure in the current experimental setting.
authors.affiliation: Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Hospital, Tokyo, Japan. akagi-tky@umin.ac.jp
authors.forename: Aya
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Iriyama
authors.forename: Kazuaki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kadonosono
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tamaki
authors.forename: Yasuo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yanagi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002452:Cell Count; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D004396:Coloring Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000528:radiation effects; D012394:Rosaniline Dyes / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D004396:Coloring Agents; D012394:Rosaniline Dyes; C004692:coomassie Brilliant Blue