Toxicological effects of ocular acrolein exposure to eyelids

Abstract

Purpose : Acrolein is an easily accessible threat chemical for terrorism. Our earlier studies showed acrolein’s toxicity to the cornea and observed damage to other anterior segment tissues. This study investigated acrolein’s toxicity to eyelid tissues and studied the expression of inflammatory and lipid markers to find an underlying mechanism.

Methods : Our reported vapor-cap in vivo model utilizing 12 New Zealand White Rabbits was used for acrolein exposure. Animals were divided into 3 groups: no-exposure (group 1, naïve; n = 4), 1-min acrolein exposure (group 2, n = 4), or 3-min acrolein exposure (group 3, n = 4). Clinical eye exams with slit-lamp and stereo microscopes and eye pressure measurements with a tonometer were conducted in live animals. Post-euthanasia, eyelid tissues were subjected to H&E and Masson’s trichrome staining, and qRT-PCR to measure changes in the gene expression of inflammatory and lipid markers.

Results : Acrolein exposure to the eye caused severe inflammation and elevated intraocular pressure (p<0.01) in rabbits. A significantly altered expression of inflammatory and lipid mediators such as LOX, PAF, Cox-2, and LTB4 (p<0.001 or, p<0.001) was observed in the eyelid tissue. The histology studies supported in vivo clinical slit-lamp biomicroscopy findings and showed the loss of epithelial cells, the presence of inflammation, fibrosis, and noticeable toxicity at a cellular level in eyelid tissue after acrolein exposure.

Conclusions : The results of this pilot study suggest that acrolein contact with the eye causes significant morbidity to eyelids and implicate the role of lipid mediators in acrolein-mediated toxicity to eyelid tissue in vivo.

This abstract was presented at the 2023 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in New Orleans, LA, April 23-27, 2023.