Macrophage mediated damage to rat lenses in culture: a possible model for uveitis-associated cataract.

Rat lenses incubated in the presence of "activated" murine peritoneal macrophages are markedly impaired in their ability to accumulate certain radio-labeled compounds from the culture medium whereas incubation with resident macrophages has no such effect. The damage to the lens can be prevented in part by addition of certain antioxidants to the culture medium. The results suggest that mediators released by activated macrophages may be involved in initiation of the cataracts associated with chronic ocular inflammation.