• Anne Huhtala, Seppo Rönkkö, Markku Teräsvirta, Tuomo Puustjärvi, Roope Sihvola, Katja Vehanen, Antti Laukkanen, Johanna Anttila, Arto Urtti, Timo Pohjonen, and Hannu Uusitalo.
• Cell Research Centre, Medical School, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland. anne.huhtala@uta.fi
• Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2009 May 1; 50 (5): 2216-23.

PurposeTo evaluate the effects of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) on ocular cells in vitro and the effects of degradable 5-FU-loaded poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide; PDLGA) 50:50 implant in the rabbit eye in vivo.MethodsCytotoxicity was assessed with a tetrazolium salt WST-1 cell proliferation/viability test and a lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage test in rabbit corneal stromal fibroblasts (SIRCs), bovine corneal endothelial cells (BCECs), human conjunctival epithelial cells (IOBA-NHCs), human retinal pigment epithelial cells (ARPE-19), and human corneal epithelial cells (HCECs). The 5-FU-loaded PDLGA implants were surgically placed in rabbit eyes with a deep sclerectomy technique and the histopathology of the eyes was examined.ResultsIn vitro, 5-FU affected cell proliferation and survival in a time- and dose-dependent manner. In the WST-1 test, adverse effects in serum-free conditions started from 0.0005 mg/mL 5-FU in SIRCS and HCECs, whereas in other cell types, 0.005 mg/mL 5-FU hindered cell proliferation. In serum-free conditions 72-hour 5 mg/mL 5-FU treatment decreased cell viability to 40% in BCECs and to 10% to 15% in other cell types. 5-FU had no or very minor effects on LDH leakage. In vivo, the 5-FU implant showed no signs of toxicity in cornea and retina, whereas in the conjunctival stroma near the implantation site, some inflammatory cells and a marked subepithelial condensation of stromal connective tissue was observed during the postoperative period of 4 weeks.Conclusions5-FU had a broad therapeutic range, and the 5-FU implant showed only minor tissue reactions in conjunctiva at the surgical site. 5-FU is a possible candidate for controlled drug release.

48 keywords...

hide…