title: Effect of Topically Applied Azithromycin on Corneal Epithelial and Endothelial Apoptosis in a Rat Model of Corneal Alkali Burn.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the antiapoptotic effect of topically administered azithromycin (AZM) on corneal epithelial and endothelial cells in a rat model of corneal alkali burn.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-four Wistar albino rats were divided into 4 equal groups as pseudovehicle (group 1), control (group 2), alkali burned (group 3), and treatment (group 4) groups. Alkali injury was induced only in the right corneas of rats belonging to groups 3 and 4 using 1N NaOH. The rats in group 3 and the rats in group 4 were respectively treated either with an artificial tear gel or with 1.5% AZM eye drops for 5 days. At the fifth day of the experiment, the apoptosis in the corneal epithelium and endothelium of all rats was assessed using a terminal dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay. In addition, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) density in the corneal epithelium was measured in all rats.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean numbers of TUNEL+ cells in the corneal epithelium and endothelium of rats in group 3 were 117.1 ± 23.8 and 34.6.± 11.3, respectively, whereas in group 4, they were 75.8 ± 15.7 and 14.7 ± 3.5, respectively. Also the mean TNF-α densities in the corneal epithelium in group 3 and group 4 were 2.65 ± 1.3 and 1.65 ± 1.1, respectively. There was a significant decrease in the mean number of TUNEL+ cells in the corneal epithelium and endothelium and in the mean TNF-α density in the corneal epithelium of rats in group 4, when compared with group 3.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Topically applied AZM can decrease TNF-α-induced apoptosis in corneal alkali burn.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Canakkale, Turkey; †Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, Trakya University, Edirne, Turkey; ‡Department of Family Medicine, School of Medicine, Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Canakkale, Turkey; §Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University Experimental Research Center, Experimental Research Application and Research Center, Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Canakkale, Turkey; and ¶Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Canakkale, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sedat
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arikan
authors.forename: Turan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Karaca
authors.forename: Yusuf Haydar
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Ertekin
authors.forename: Arzu Taskiran
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Comez
authors.forename: Ismail
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ersan
authors.forename: Selim
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Demirtas
authors.forename: Sait
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Elmas
authors.forename: Hasan Ali
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Tufan
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Turkon
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D017963:Azithromycin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002057:Burns, Chemical / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004728:Endothelium, Corneal / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D019573:Epithelium, Corneal / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D005126:Eye Burns / Q000139:chemically induced*; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012972:Sodium Hydroxide; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D012972:Sodium Hydroxide; D017963:Azithromycin