Posters

Cornean histoenzymatic aspects: experimental study

Poster Details

First Author: S.Craitoiu ROMANIA

Co Author(s):    R. Manescu   G. Vitan Cojocaru   M. Craitoiu              

Abstract Details

Purpose:

The immune response to the viral aggression manifests itself through inflammation, as this is the defense mechanism against infectious agents, especially the viral ones. This process is very obvious at eye level where inflammation can have consequences upon the visual function, as a result of the alterations suffered by the eye structures. We sought to investigate enzyme response appearing subsequent to sub-conjuctival administration of Coxsackie B3 virus.

Setting:

Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, Romania

Methods:

The studied material consisted of cornea fragments obtained from laboratory animals (rats) subsequent to subconjunctival administration of the Coxsakie B3 virus at 2 days interval, for 14 days. The cornea fragments were frozen and sectioned by cryotom (-50 degrees Celsius). Some of the obtained sections were colored with: hematoxylin-eosin, trichromic Goldner- Szekelly, trichromic Masson. Other sections were processed for histoenzymatic determinations with the purpose of evidenciating the activity in situ of: Diaforasis, Dihydrofolatreductasis, Leucinaminopeptidasis, ATP-asis pH 9.4.

Results:

We observed the most typical enzyme changes in the corneal parenchyma, thereby showing that the virus triggers local immune defense mechanisms. Between collagen bundles, the cells are intense and medium reactive. At epithelial level, we observed an intense and very intense reaction in the basal epithelial cells, intense in the middle layer and low in the superficial layer. The areas of medium intense reactions alternate with areas of low reactions. Posterior epithelium is intensely reactive. The appearance of the highly active Langerhans cells around Bowmann membrane proves that the injected virus greatly stimulates the mobilization of local immune mechanisms.

Conclusions:

The enzymatic evidenced reactions demonstrate the start of the local immune defense mechanisms by the injected virus. The immune reactions that take place at eye level need to be well known, in order to prevent their possible serious consequences over the structures of the ocular globe. The results of our study represent important steps in the decision of the diagnosis and of the optimal therapy choice using immunoregulating drugs.

Financial Disclosure:

NONE