Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Antifibrotic and uveitogenic properties of gamma interferon in the rabbit eye

  • Laboratory Investigations
  • Published:
Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The feasibility of gamma (γ)-interferon injection for the treatment of ocular fibrotic conditions was studied in rabbits using recombinant rabbit γ-interferon and the cell-injection model of tractional detachment. A toxicity study revealed that intravitreal injection of >104 units γ-interferon consistently produced panuveitis. For tractional detachment, 250,000 rabbit dermal fibroblasts were injected intravitreally into 20 eyes; 1 day later, 5 of these eyes received intravitreal injections of 104 units γ-interferon, another 5 were given 106 units, and the remaining 10 received balanced salt solution. Slit-lamp examination and fundus photography were performed at regular intervals for 21 days and were graded by a masked observer. The eyes were then enucleated and processed for histology. Doses of 104 units γ-interferon significantly reduced the severity of detachments, but injections of 106 units induced panuveitis.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Balkwill F, Taylor-Papadimitriou J (1978) Interferon affects both G1 and S+G2 in cells stimulated from quiescence to growth. Nature 274:798–800

    Google Scholar 

  2. Campochiaro PA, Glaser BM (1985) Platelet-derived growth factor is chemotactic for human retinal pigment epithelial cells. Arch Ophthalmol 103:576–579

    Google Scholar 

  3. Di Bisceglie AM, Rustgi VK, Kassianides C, Lisker-Melman M, Park Y, Waggoner JG, Hoofnagle JH (1990) Therapy of chronic hepatitis B with recombinant human alpha and gamma interferon. Hepatology 11:266–270

    Google Scholar 

  4. Einat M, Resnitzky D, Kimchi A (1985) Inhibitory effects of interferon on the expression of genes regulated by platelet-derived growth factor. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 82:7608–7612

    Google Scholar 

  5. Fastenberg DM, Diddie KR, Dorey K, Ryan SJ (1982) The role of cellular proliferation in an experimental model of massive periretinal proliferation. Am J Ophthalmol 93:565–572

    Google Scholar 

  6. Fierlbeck G (1989) Behçet's disease: therapy with recombinant interferon gamma (letter). Dtsch Med Wochenschr 114:1769

    Google Scholar 

  7. Fierlbeck G, Rassner G (1988) Recombinant gamma interferon in psoriasis arthropathica, progressive systemic scleroderma and Behçet's disease. Med Klin (Munich) 83:695–699

    Google Scholar 

  8. Granstein RD, Murphy GF, Margolis RJ, Byrne MH, Amento EP (1987) Gamma-interferon inhibits collagen synthesis in vivo in the mouse. J Clin Invest 79:1254–1258

    Google Scholar 

  9. Harvey AK, Roberge F, Hjelmeland LM (1987) Chemotaxis of rat retinal glia to growth factors found in repairing wounds. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 28:1092–1099

    Google Scholar 

  10. Heyns AD, Elder A, Vlodavsky I, Kaiser N, Fridman R, Panet A (1985) The antiproliferative effect of interferon and the mitogenic activity of growth factors are independent cell cycle events. Studies with vascular smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells. Exp Cell Res 161:297–306

    Google Scholar 

  11. Lee SF, Pepose JS (1988) Induction of class II antigens on murine intraocular tissues by recombinant gamma interferon is not sufficient to induce a cellular inflammatory response. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 29:374

    Google Scholar 

  12. Lemmel EM, Brackertz D, Franke M, Gaus W, Hard PW, Machalke K, Mielke H, Obert HJ, Peter HH, Sieper J, Sprekeler R, Stierle H (1988) Results of a multicenter placebo-controlled double-blind randomized phase III clinical study of treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with recombinant interferon-gamma. Rheumatol Int 8:87–93

    Google Scholar 

  13. Lin SL, Kikuchi T, Pledger WJ, Tamm I (1986) Interferon inhibits the establishment of competence in G1/S-phase transition. Science 233:356–359

    Google Scholar 

  14. Lundgren E, Larsson I, Miörner H, Strannegdrd O (1979) Effects of leukocyte and fibroblast interferon on events in the fibroblast cell cycle. J Gen Virol 42: 589–595

    Google Scholar 

  15. Sokawa Y, Watanabe Y, Watanabe Y, Kawade Y (1977) Interferon suppresses the transition of quiescent 3T3 cells to a growing state. Nature 268:236–238

    Google Scholar 

  16. Stratton MR, Martin JM, Lantos PL (1987) The effects of interferon on glial cells. Br J Exp Pathol 68:643–653

    Google Scholar 

  17. Torres MA, Furst DE (1990) Treatment of generalized systemic sclerosis. Rheum Dis Clin North Am 16:217–241

    Google Scholar 

  18. Vegh S, Vernot J, Peyman GA, Fiscella R (1986) Toxicity of intravitreal interferon. Ophthalmic Surg 17:103–105

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, University of California at Davis, 95616, Davis, CA, USA

    Leonard M. Hjelmeland, Jin Wen Li, Cynthia A. Toth & Maurice B. Landers III

Authors
  1. Leonard M. Hjelmeland
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jin Wen Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Cynthia A. Toth
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Maurice B. Landers III
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

The authors have no proprietary interest in the companies mentioned or the products used in this study

Offprint requests to: L.M. Hjelmeland

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hjelmeland, L.M., Li, J.W., Toth, C.A. et al. Antifibrotic and uveitogenic properties of gamma interferon in the rabbit eye. Graefe's Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 230, 84–90 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00166768

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00166768

Keywords

Search

Navigation