The Intravitreal Injection of Lanosterol Nanoparticles Rescues Lens Structure Collapse at an Early Stage in Shumiya Cataract Rats

Int J Mol Sci. 2020 Feb 5;21(3):1048. doi: 10.3390/ijms21031048.

Abstract

We designed an intravitreal injection formulation containing lanosterol nanoparticles (LAN-NPs) via the bead mill method and evaluated the therapeutic effect of LAN-NPs on lens structure collapse and opacification using two rat cataract models (SCR-N, rats with slight lens structure collapse; SCR-C, rats with the combination of a remarkable lens structure collapse and opacification). The particle size of lanosterol in the LAN-NPs was around 50-400 nm. A single injection of LAN-NPs (0.5%) supplied lanosterol into the lens for 48 h, and no irritation or muddiness was observed following repeated injections of LAN-NPs for 6 weeks (once every 2 days). Moreover, LAN-NPs repaired the slight collapse of the lens structure in SCR-N. Although the remarkable changes in the lens structure of SCR-C were not repaired by LAN-NP, the onset of opacification was delayed. In addition, the increase of cataract-related factors (Ca2+ contents, nitric oxide levels, lipid peroxidation and calpain activity levels) in the lenses of SCR-C was attenuated by the repeated injection of LAN-NPs. It is possible that a deficiency of lanosterol promotes the production of oxidative stress. In conclusion, it is difficult to improve serious structural collapse with posterior movement of the lens nucleus with a supplement of lanosterol via LAN-NPs. However, the intravitreal injection of LAN-NPs was found to repair the space and structural collapse in the early stages in the lenses.

Keywords: cataract; intravitreal injection; lanosterol; lens; nanoparticle.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cataract / drug therapy
  • Cataract / prevention & control*
  • Cell Line
  • Humans
  • Intravitreal Injections
  • Lanosterol / administration & dosage
  • Lanosterol / therapeutic use*
  • Lens, Crystalline / pathology*
  • Male
  • Nanoparticles / administration & dosage
  • Nanoparticles / therapeutic use*
  • Nitric Oxide / metabolism
  • Oxidative Stress / drug effects
  • Rats
  • Rats, Transgenic
  • Vision Disorders / prevention & control

Substances

  • Lanosterol
  • Nitric Oxide