Photodynamically induced alteration of cornea endothelial cell function.

Corneal endothelial cells were perfused in the specular microscope with varying concentrations of rose bengal. Corneas perfused with rose bengal in concentrations of 10(-6)M to 10(-5)M and exposed to light for periods of 0.5 to 5 min swelled at rates which were more rapid with both increasing concentration of rose bengal and increasing duration of light exposure. Corneas perfused with similar concentrations of rose bengal but not exposed to light did not swell. Combining rose bengal with 100 micrograms/ml superoxide dismutase did not reduce the corneal swelling following exposure to light, indicating that the photodynamically induced endothelial bengal perfusing solution eliminated corneal swelling following exposure of corneas to light. This indicates that the photodynamic effect of endothelium is secondary to cell functional alterations from the hydrogen peroxide produced during the dismutation reaction of superoxide free radical which is catalyzed by superoxide dismutase.