title: The effect of ultraviolet radiation on the cornea - experimental study.
abstract: Ultraviolet (UV) radiation in high doses may have harmful effects on the eye. The sources of UV radiation are the sun, as well as some artificial sources such as UV lamps or voltaic arcs. Chronic exposure to UV can cause damage to the anterior pole of the eye, ranging from minor (pterygium) to serious photokeratitis. In our study, we applied a UV dose of 6.5 J/cm(2) in the wavelength range of 290-400 nm, for five consecutive days per rat anterior pole of the eye. Seven days after the last dose of radiation, the animals were sacrificed, harvesting both the irradiated and the non-irradiated eye. Histological and immunohistochemical examination of the lesions revealed that the greatest damage to the epithelium was recorded prior to and 2/3 of the remaining corneal stroma. The epithelial lesions we found varied from pseudokeratosis and detachment of the Bowman epithelium membrane to deep epithelial necrosis. Within the corneal stroma, we observed the formation of interstitial edema with disruption of the collagen structure. We also noticed the presence of an inflammatory infiltrate composed mainly of lymphocytes and CD68+ and CD163+ macrophages, as well as the occurrence of vascular devices. These consisted of angiogenesis capillaries with structured wall composed mainly of endothelial CD34+ precursor cells and a basal membrane rich in collagen IV fibers.
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Microscopic Morphology and Immunology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, Romania; laurentiu_mogoanta@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Andreea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Golu
authors.forename: Irina
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gheorghişor
authors.forename: A T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Bălăşoiu
authors.forename: Fl
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Baltă
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Osiac
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mogoantă
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bold
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic / Q000378:metabolism; D003315:Cornea / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D019573:Epithelium, Corneal / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects; D005260:Female; D007249:Inflammation / Q000473:pathology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009336:Necrosis; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000378:metabolism; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D000098902:CD163 Antigen; D000097382:CD68 Molecule
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D000098902:CD163 Antigen; C067980:CD68 antigen, human; D000097382:CD68 Molecule