Abstract
Purpose :
Drug delivery to the targeted ocular tissues remains a challenge. Subtenon transfusion allow prolonged controllable release of drugs directly into the eye according to the need. In this study, we investigate the efficacy of subtenon transfusion dexamethasone in the rabbit model of experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU).
Methods :
Experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU) in rabbit was induced by first injection the emulsion of Bovine serum albumin (BSA) and complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA), and one week later intravitreal injection of BSA. A total of 48 rabbits were randomly allocated to the four groups: (1) received subtenon transfusion dexamethasone; (2) received intravenous and subconjunctive dexamethasone used as a standard therapy control; (3) model EAU control group; and (4) normal control group. And treatment was administered 24 hour post-immunization in the first two groups. We evaluated the anterior segment inflammation state by slit lamp biomicroscopy (standardization of uveitis nomenclature grading) for 14 days and histopathology on 14 days post-immunization.
Results :
Uveitis developed in all rabbits of the first three group, and the clinical uveitis scores and histological scores were all higher than the normal control group. The uveitis anterior segment clinical scores reached peak in treated group 1 (2.17±0.94) and group 2 (2.42±0.79) on day 4 post-immunization, and in model EAU control group (3.25±0.62) on day 5. Treatment significantly reduced the anterior segment inflammation score from day 5 to day 14 and histological score on day 14 postimmunization compared to the model EAU group (P<0.05). In all the observed timepoint, the uveitis clinical score and histological score were unsignificantly difference in the two treated groups.
Conclusions :
subtenon transfusion dexamethasone significantly attenuates rabbit experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU), it is effective in controlling rabbit experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU) and may decrease dexamethasone system side effect than traditional system treatment.
This is an abstract that was submitted for the 2018 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Honolulu, Hawaii, April 29 - May 3, 2018.