Objective: To study the effects of a biodegradable FK506 drug delivery system (DDS) on the inhibition of corneal rejection, to measure the concentration of FK506 in the aqueous humor and to study the relationship between intraocular concentration of FK506 and its immunosuppressive effects on corneal rejection.
Methods: Corneal neo-vascularization was induced by 5 - 0 silk sutures in 68 New Zealand rabbits to establish a high risk corneal transplantation model. A unilateral 7 mm diameter central penetrating corneal transplantation was performed with 7.5 mm diameter grafts from health New Zealand rabbit donors. Grafted rabbits were randomized into five groups as follows: Group A: untreated control animals; Group B: DDS anterior chamber recipients without drug; Group C: 1 mg cyclosporine DDS anterior chamber recipients; Group D: 0.1% FK506-olive oil drop recipients; Group E: 0.5 mg FK506 DDS anterior chamber recipients. Grafts were examined with a slit lamp every other day and clinical conditions were scored for up to 28 weeks. The aqueous humor and cornea of Group D and Group E were collected, and the concentration of FK506 was determined. The expression of cytokines IL-2R alpha, MCP-1, Fas and FasL mRNA was detected with in situ hybridization method.
Results: The median survival time was (17.9 +/- 4.7) d in Group A (untreated corneal allograft), (20.0 +/- 3.7) d in Group B, (56.3 +/- 8.8) d in Group C, (78.1 +/- 7.2) d in Group D, and over 180 d in Group E. Statistically significant difference (F = 926.37, P = 0.0000) in the survival time of allograft has been found between Group E and other groups. The concentration of FK506 in aqueous humor was (15.7 +/- 2.6) ng/ml in Group E at one week and remained stable for at least 24 weeks, much higher than that in Group D (<0.3 ng/ml). The concentration of FK506 in cornea was also higher in Group E than that in Group D. The expression of cytokines IL-2R alpha and MCP-1 mRNA was detected, but the expression of Fas and FasL mRNA was not detected in Group A.
Conclusions: FK506 DDS implanted in the anterior chamber can significantly prolong corneal allograft survival in high-risk corneal graft rejection model. This intraocular DDS may be a valuable adjunct for the suppression of immune graft rejection in high-risk corneal transplants.