Does the lens serve as a 'sink' for iron during ocular inflammation?

Twenty-four hours after induction of ocular inflammation by intravitreal injection of endotoxin (10 ng), the intraocular fluid (IOF, aqueous and vitreous humors) concentration of iron (Fe) increased. This was presumably due to entry of the plasma Fe-binding protein, transferrin, into the IOFs through disrupted blood ocular barriers. After 1 day of inflammation the Fe concentration in lenses from the inflamed eye was 60% greater than that measured in contralateral control lenses. By day 15, lens Fe concentration had returned to levels of the contralateral control lenses. There was a distinct relationship between the dose of endotoxin used and the amount of Fe accumulated by the lens. The Fe concentration in lenses from eyes injected with 100 ng endotoxin was 0.376 +/- 0.027 micrograms g-1 wet weight compared to 0.214 +/- 0.014 micrograms g-1 in lenses from eyes injected with 0.25 ng endotoxin. In a previous study, copper (Cu) concentration in the IOFs was elevated to the same extent as Fe in response to intravitreal injection of endotoxin. However, in the present study, lenticular Cu concentration was unaltered at the highest (100 ng) dose of endotoxin. Since the increase in lens uptake was selective for Fe, there may be a specific Fe uptake mechanism in this ocular tissue. The physiological reasons for and possible pathological consequences of such a process are discussed.