glycogen and Keratoconjunctivitis-Sicca

Topics: 1-Methyl-3-isobutylxanthine; Animals; Cell Count; Conjunctiva; Cornea; Epithelium; Glycogen; Humans; Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca; Ophthalmic Solutions; Rabbits; Tears

To examine the effects of topical 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine treatment on tear-film osmolarity, conjunctival goblet-cell densities, and corneal epithelial glycogen levels in a rabbit model for keratoconjunctivitis sicca.. Keratoconjunctivitis sicca was surgically induced in the right eyes of 16 rabbits. In a masked protocol, eight of these operated-on eyes underwent treatment for 12 weeks with a 3.0-mmol solution of 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine. The remaining eight operated-on eyes were left untreated and served as controls.. The 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine treatment resulted in a rapid and significant decrease in tear osmolarity and sodium (P < .5) and potassium levels (P < .05) and a significant increase in conjunctival goblet-cell densities and corneal epithelial glycogen levels compared with untreated and operated-on controls (P < .001).. 3-Isobutyl-1-methylxanthine rapidly and significantly decreased tear-film osmolarity in this rabbit model for keratoconjunctivitis sicca and restored conjunctival goblet-cell densities and corneal glycogen levels, thus reversing the disease process.

Topics: 1-Methyl-3-isobutylxanthine; Animals; Cell Count; Conjunctiva; Cornea; Glycogen; Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca; Osmolar Concentration; Rabbits; Tears

Thirty-two rabbits with monocular surgically induced keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS) underwent masked treatment for 12 weeks with 1 of 4 artificial tear solutions. Disease in each group of treated rabbits was compared with disease in untreated KCS controls. One of the solutions tested was a unique electrolyte-based formulation shown previously to preserve normal goblet-cell density after extended exposure in normal rabbits. Only the electrolyte-based solution decreased elevated tear osmolarity and sodium after 9 weeks of treatment (P less than 0.05). At 20 weeks, mean corneal glycogen and conjunctival goblet-cell density in eyes treated with the electrolyte-based solution increased significantly relative to untreated KCS controls (P less than 0.01). With the other three solutions, mean glycogen levels and goblet-cell densities were either decreased relative to untreated KCS controls (P less than 0.05) or were unchanged. The electrolyte-based solution is the first treatment to increase corneal glycogen and conjunctival goblet cells in a rabbit model of KCS.

Topics: Animals; Cell Count; Conjunctiva; Cornea; Disease Models, Animal; Electrolytes; Female; Glycogen; Hypotonic Solutions; Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca; Male; Ophthalmic Solutions; Osmolar Concentration; Rabbits; Random Allocation; Tears