Objective: To investigate dynamic changes of expression of tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) in the rabbit iris and aqueous humor after the lens mechanical injury.
Methods: Rabbit lens was mechanically injured by a needle through the limbus. Eyes were enucleated on the 1st, 3rd, 7th and 15th day after injury, the aqueous humor was collected and the iris was isolated. The activity of two main TIMPs (TIMP-1 and TIMP-2) in the aqueous humor and the iris was assessed by reverse zymography assay while the activity of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) was analyzed by zymography assay.
Results: In the healthy and uninjured rabbit eye, neither TIMP-1 nor TIMP-2 was detected in the aqueous humor or in the iris. In the iris of the injured eye, the activity of TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 was increased significantly 1 day after the injury (P < 0.05), the activity of MMP-2 was inhibited. In the aqueous humor of the injured eye, the activity of TIMP-1 and -2 increased significantly (P < 0.05) 1 day after the injury and the activity of MMP-2 was not detectable. The activity of TIMP-1 and -2 decreased afterwards and no significant difference was detected between the injured eyes and the control eyes 7 days after the injury (P value was 0.097 and 0.777, respectively), while the activity of MMP-2 was increased gradually.
Conclusion: TIMPs are involved in the acute inflammation process after the lens injury, which may play an important role in the inhibition of inflammation and in the wound healing.