title: Retinal toxicity of intravitreal rituximab in albino rabbits.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate retinal toxicity of intravitreal rituximab.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twelve albino rabbits were included in the study. 1 mg/0.1 mL of rituximab was injected to the right (experimental) eye of each rabbit, and 0.1 mL of saline was injected into the left (control) eye. Electroretinogram was recorded before injection and 3 hours, 4 days, 1 week, 2 weeks and 4 weeks after injection (12 rabbits), and visual evoked potential was recorded before injection and 4 weeks after injection (10 rabbits). Histology and glial fibrillary acidic protein immunocytochemistry (12 rabbits) were performed at 4 weeks after injection. Clinical examination was conducted at all time points in all rabbits.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average dark-adapted electroretinogram b-wave Vmax ratios, and the average light-adapted b-wave amplitude ratios were approximately 1, and the average log σ difference was around zero throughout the follow-up period. The average visual evoked potential amplitude ratio and the average visual evoked potential implicit time difference were approximately 1 and 0, respectively. No histologic damage was seen, but glial fibrillary acidic protein was mildly expressed in 6 of 12 experimental eyes. Results of clinical examination were normal in all the eyes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intravitreal injection of 1 mg rituximab does not cause functional or histologic signs of retinal toxicity in albino rabbits. Mild glial fibrillary acidic protein expression in Müller cells probably indicates a mild degree of retinal stress.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Tel-Aviv Medical Center, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. zwilner@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Zohar
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Habot-Wilner
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shahar
authors.forename: Esther
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zemel
authors.forename: Anat
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Loewenstein
authors.forename: Ido
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Perlman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived / Q000633:toxicity*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000633:toxicity*; D003623:Dark Adaptation; D004596:Electroretinography / Q000187:drug effects; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual / Q000187:drug effects; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000378:metabolism; D011817:Rabbits; D012160:Retina / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D000069283:Rituximab
chemical_list: D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D000069283:Rituximab