Aims: This Study aimed to evaluate toxic changes that might occur in rabbit cornea after
UVB exposure and possible protective role of Trehalose.
Study Design: Eighteen adult white female rabbits were divided into three groups, six
rabbits for each one. Group Ι received buffered saline (negative control), Group ΙΙ
irradiated by UVB (positive control) and Group ΙΙI irradiated by UVB with concomitant
application of Trehalose eye drops.
Place and Duration of Study: Department of Pharmacology, and Department of
Histopathology, Umm AL Qura University (UQU), KSA, between April 2012 and May
2012.
Methodology: Eighteen rabbits were divided into three equal groups. Group Ι received
buffered saline (0.9%), Group ΙΙ Only the cornea was irradiated by UVB, and Group ΙΙI
were treated (by dropping trehalose three drops in each eye, six times daily) after
irradiated with UVB. Two weeks after treatment, the excised corneas were employed for
histopathological and immunohistochemical examinations.
Results: UVB exposure induced cell death and thinning of the corneal epithelium, while
the irradiated epithelium was preserved well morphologically with concomitant
application of Trehalose eye drops. The irradiated corneal epithelium was significantly (P
=0.026) thicker than eyes treated with Ultraviolet and Trehalose eye drops. Apoptotic
cells were significantly (P =0.001) reduced in negative control and Trehalose -treated
eyes than positive control eyes. Trehalose was showed to prevent oxidative stress,
accelerated corneal healing, restored corneal transparency and prevent corneal
neovascularization in irradiated corneas. Caspase-3, was strong significantly expressed
(P |
