Abstract
A 5,000 W Xe-Hg high pressure lamp and a double monochromator were used to produce a 3.3 nm half-bandpass ultraviolet radiation at 295 nm. Pigmented rabbit eyes were irradiated with radiant exposures from 140 Jm−2 to 10,000 Jm−2 and evaluated by slit-lamp biomicroscopy, light and electron microscopy. Corneal threshold (Hc) was 200 Jm−2 and lens threshold (HL) was 7,500 Jm−2. The most repeatable and reliable corneal response to these levels of UV was the development of corneal epithelial granules.
Histological changes included a loss of superficial epithelial cells and selective UV induced autolysis of the wing cells. It is suggested that the biomicroscopically observed granules are the clinical manifestation of the secondary lysosomes revealed by light and electron microscopy. It is proposed that UV breaks down the primary lysosome membranes to release hydrolytic enzymes which in turn form the secondary lysosomes during autolysis.
Extreme levels of radiant exposure at 295 nm result in indiscriminate destruction of all layers of the corneal epithelium, but the posterior cornea was spared.
Zusammenfassung
Mit Hilfe einer 5 000 W Xenon-Hochdrucklampe und einem Monochromator wurde eine UV-Bestrahlung bei 295 nm Wellenlänge mit einer Bandbreite von 6,6 nm durchgeführt. Dabei wurden die Augen pigmentierter Kaninchen Bestrahlungswerten zwischen 140 Jm−2 und 10000 Jm−2 ausgesetzt und spaltlampenmikroskopisch sowie licht- und elektronenmikroskopisch untersucht. Der Hornhaut-Schwellenwert (Hc) lag bei 200 Jm−2 und der Linsenschwellenwert (HL) bei 7500 Jm−2. Die konstantesten Veränderungen in der Hornhaut bei UV-Bestrahlungen in diesem Schwellenwertbereich waren das Auftreten von Granula im Hornhautepithel.
Weitere histologische Veränderungen bestanden in einem Verlust der oberflächlichen Hornhautepithelzellen und selektiver UV-induzierter Autolyse der sogenannten Flügelzellen. Es wird vermutet, daß die biomikroskopisch sichtbaren Granula die klinische Manifestation der licht- und elektronenmikroskopisch darstellbaren sekundären Lysosomen darstellen. Es wird angenommen, daß die UV-Bestrahlung zu einem Zusammenbruch der Membran primärer Lysosomen und damit zur Freisetzung hydrolytischer Enzyme führt, was die Bildung sekundärer Lysosomen während der Autolyse zur Folge hat.
Extreme Bestrahlungsdosen bei 295 nm führen zu einer nicht mehr abgrenzbaren Zerstörung aller Sichten des Hornhautepithels; Veränderungen an der Hornhautrückseite finden sich dabei allerdings nicht.
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Cullen, A.P. Ultraviolet induced lysosome activity in corneal epithelium. Albrecht von Graefes Arch. Klin. Ophthalmol. 214, 107–118 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00572789
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00572789