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Br J Ophthalmol 2008;92:1528-1533 doi:10.1136/bjo.2007.130518
  • Original Article
    • Laboratory science

Effect of short-term macrophage depletion in the development of posterior capsule opacification in rodents

  1. N Lois1,
  2. R Dawson1,
  3. J Townend2,
  4. A D McKinnon1,
  5. G C Smith1,
  6. R van’t Hof3,
  7. N Van Rooijen4,
  8. J V Forrester1
  1. 1
    Department of Ophthalmology, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
  2. 2
    Department of Public Health, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
  3. 3
    Bone Research Group, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
  4. 4
    Department of Cell Biology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Free University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
  1. Dr N Lois, Ophthalmology Department, Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, Foresterhill, Aberdeen AB25 2ZN, UK; noemilois{at}aol.com
  • Accepted 20 July 2008
  • Published Online First 23 September 2008

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate the role of macrophages in the development of posterior capsule opacification (PCO).

Methods: For this purpose, an extracapsular lens extraction was performed in 18 consecutive Sprague-Dawley rats. Animals were treated with liposomal clodronate (Cl2MDP-lip-treated group, n = 10) or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) (control group, n = 8) 1 day preoperatively and on the first day postoperatively, and sacrificed 3 days postoperatively. Masked clinical, light microscopy and immunohistochemistry studies were conducted. The Fisher exact test and randomisation test were used to assess statistically differences between groups.

Results: A statistically significant reduction in the number of macrophages (ED1+, ED7+, ED8+) was found in the Cl2MDP-lip-treated group compared with the PBS-lip-treated group (p = 0.048, p = 0.004, p = 0.027, respectively). There were no statistically significant differences with regards to the presence/absence of central opacification (p = 0.29) and capsular wrinkling (p = 0.21) as detected clinically between groups. Similarly, a qualitative evaluation of the degree of PCO with regards to lens epithelial cell (LEC) proliferation, capsular wrinkling and Soemmerring ring formation showed no statistically significance between groups (p = 0.27, p = 0.061, p = 1.0, respectively). However, a statistically significant reduction in the number of lens epithelial cells (LEC) counted in the centre of the posterior capsule was found in the Cl2MDP-lip-treated group (p = 0.009).

Conclusion: Depletion of macrophages was accompanied by a reduction in LEC in the centre of the posterior capsule in rodents.

Footnotes

  • Funding: Supported by the Ross Foundation, UK

  • Competing interests: None.

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