title: Effects of fluoroquinolone eye solutions without preservatives on human corneal epithelial cells in vitro.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the biologic effects of fluoroquinolone eye solutions without preservatives on cultured human corneal epithelial cells in vitro.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied the effect of diverse generations of topical fluoroquinolones such as ofloxacin 0.3%, levofloxacin 0.5%, tosufloxacin 0.3%, moxifloxacin 0.5% and gatifloxacin 0.3% on cultured human corneal epithelial cells. MTT-based calorimetric assay, lactate dehydrogenase leakage (LDH) assay and scratch wound test were performed. Corneal epithelial cell morphologies were examined by performing inverted light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all topical fluoroquinolones, the metabolic activity of the corneal epithelial cells decreased in a time-dependent fashion and the LDH titer increased with longer exposure times. Especially, the LDH titers significantly increased after exposure to moxifloxacin 0.5% and gatifloxacin 0.3% compared with controls. The migration rates of the corneal epithelial cells were faster in ofloxacin 0.3% or levofloxacin 0.5% than other fluoroquinolones. Severe cellular morphological damage was observed after exposure to moxifloxacin 0.5% and gatifloxacin 0.3%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As moxifloxacin 0.5% and gatifloxacin 0.3% induced the toxic effect to the corneal epithelial cells, compared with other fluoroquinolones, the 4th fluoroquinolone eye solutions should be carefully used in case of the corneal epithelium is damaged by long duration of treatment or overdosage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Pusan National University and Medical Research Institute, Pusan National University Hospital, Pusan, South Korea.
authors.forename: Boo Sup
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Oum
authors.forename: Na Mi
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jong Soo
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Young Min
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002460:Cell Line; D002465:Cell Movement; D002470:Cell Survival; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D019573:Epithelium, Corneal / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D024841:Fluoroquinolones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D011310:Preservatives, Pharmaceutical / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts / Q000378:metabolism; D013844:Thiazoles / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D024841:Fluoroquinolones; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D011310:Preservatives, Pharmaceutical; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D013844:Thiazoles; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; C022616:thiazolyl blue