Abstract
Purpose: :
The aim of the present paper was to examine the irradiation effect of two doses of UVA rays on the rabbit cornea and lens.
Methods: :
Corneas of anesthetized adult albino rabbits were irradiated once a day with UVA rays for 5 days (daily dose 1.01 J/cm2 in one group of rabbits and daily dose 2.02 J/cm2 in the second group of animals). The irradiation took place for five days. The third day after the last irradiation the rabbits were sacrificed and their eyes were employed for biochemical and immunohistochemical investigations. Normal eyes served as controls. Levels of antioxidant and prooxidant enzymes, nitric oxide synthases and nitric oxide (indirectly measured as nitrate concentration) were investigated in the cornea. Malondialdehyde, a byproduct of lipid peroxidation, was examined in the cornea and lens.
Results: :
The results show that the staining for endothelial nitric oxide synthase was more pronounced in corneas irradiated with the higher UVA dose. Otherwise, UVA rays in both doses did not cause statistically significant metabolic changes in the cornea or lens.
Conclusions: :
UVA rays at the employed doses did not evoke harmful effects in the rabbit cornea or lens.
Keywords: cornea: basic science • nitric oxide • radiation damage: light/UV