Purpose: To investigate the effect of liposome encapsulated daunorubicin (DNR) on rabbit eyes when it was used in prevention of posterior capsule opacification (PCO).
Methods: The liposome encapsulated DNR was prepared by modified freeze-thawing method. Each eye was injected with 0.1 ml liposomes (0.2 mg/ml and 20 micrograms/ml DNR) into the capsular bag during the extracapsular lens extraction (ECLE) in 10 rabbit eyes respectively. The phosphate buffer solution (PBS) was injected as control. Besides biomicroscope observation and histology examination of all eyes, the concentration of DNA in aqueous humor was also determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).
Results: The morphology of liposome encapsulated DNR were similar to the blank liposome with round or ellipse shape. The encapsulated effeciency of liposome encapsulated DNR was 45.1%. The inflammatory response was much more severe both in 0.2 mg/ml and 20 micrograms/ml DNR group than the control after liposome injection. All eyes in DNR group were showed severe corneal edema and opacity and lasted for 4 to 8 weeks. Histopathological study revealed that lens epithelial proliferation occured by 4 weeks and Soemmering's ring developed by 8 weeks in control; However, in DNR group eye only a few LECs remained in the bag and there were obvious corneal edema and eosinophiles infiltration. Corneal endothelial cells were severely lost.
Conclusion: The results suggest that liposome encapsulated DNR could inhibit metaplasia and proliferation of remnant lens epithelial cells after ECLE in rabbit eyes, but the severe toxicity must be avoided by further study.