title: Bilateral cataract induced by unilateral UVR-B exposure -- evidence for an inflammatory response.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether unilateral in vivo UVR-B exposure of one eye affects the fellow eye in a co-cataractogenic, sympathetic reaction and to determine whether an inflammatory response could be involved in the pathogenesis.
  
  
  METHODS
  C57BL/6 mice were unilaterally exposed in vivo to UVR-B for 15 min. In the group of 24 animals each received 0×/2×/3×/or 4× cataract threshold equivalent dose. Following 48-hr UVR-B exposure, cataract morphology was documented in dark-field illumination photography, and light scattering was quantified, in both lenses in vitro. Serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1ß, IL-6 and TNF-α were analysed with ELISA. Immunohistochemistry was performed for inflammatory infiltration in exposed and contralateral eyes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  UVR-B exposure induced cataract in all exposed lenses. There was additionally a significant UVR dose-dependent increase in light scattering in the lenses of the non-exposed fellow eye. Inflammatory infiltration was detected immunohistochemically in the anterior segment of both eyes. IL-1β serum concentration increased with increasing UVR-B exposure dose. There was a similar trend for serum IL-6 but not for TNF-α.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Unilateral UVR-B exposure to one eye is associated with intraocular inflammation and an increase in lens light scattering also in the unexposed, fellow eye. A resulting systemic inflammatory response might be mediated by IL-1β and possibly IL-6. The finding that an inflammatory response may play a role in UVR-B-induced cataract development might initiate new strategies in the prevention of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Herzog Carl Theodor Eye Clinic, Munich, Germany. linda.meyer@eyelab.se
authors.forename: Linda M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Löfgren
authors.forename: Frank G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Holz
authors.forename: Alfred
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wegener
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Söderberg
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000869:Anterior Eye Segment / Q000473:pathology; D002386:Cataract / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D007908:Lens, Crystalline / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D008027:Light; D008264:Macrophages / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009000:Monocytes / Q000473:pathology; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000473:pathology; D009879:Ophthalmia, Sympathetic / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D011833:Radiation Injuries, Experimental / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C577686:interleukin-6, mouse