Influence of experimental uveitis on the rabbit lens

Abstract

Rabbits were given intravitreous injection of horse serum in one eye in order to obtain an uveal inflammatory condition, known as anaphylactic uveitis, which brings about loss of transparency of the lens. The experimental data from studies on the protein content and weight of the lenses, nonprotein —SH content, protein —SH group level and reactivity, —S—S— bond level and electrophoretic behavior of the lens proteins of eyes with uveitis, and those found in the untreated eyes, were compared at various intervals after treatment. Early findings were a drop in the non-protein —SH group level and an increase of protein —SH group reactivity. However, the earliest signs of loss of transparency, which appeared later (70 days), were accompanied by lens dehydration, a drop in protein —SH group content due to intrachain —S—S— bond formation in a particular soluble protein belonging to the γ-crystallin fraction, and a rise in the —S—S— bond level in the albuminoid fraction which, however, was not found to have increased. These results are discussed and compared to previous studies on X-ray cataract.