Abstract
An in vitro model was proposed to evaluate the response of human mononuclear cells after contact with intraocular lens (IOL) materials. An artificial aqueous humor (AAH) solution was used to simulate in vitro the condition of the prostheses during the early post-operative stages, since peripheral blood samples collected from recipient patients were considered unsuitable for an in vivo investigation. IOLs manufactured with known surface reactivity materials were studied: poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), heparin-surface-modified (HSM)-PMMA and poly(ethylenimine) (PEI)-surface modified PMMA. Immunofluorescence reactions were carried out on cells after contact with IOLs to analyze the distribution of activation (HLA-DR, CD25 and CD69) and adhesion (CD11a, CD18 and CD54) molecules. Flow cytometry technique was used to analyze the cells. Our data demonstrated: (1) mononuclear cell response after contact with a given IOL material can be calculated as a function of the contact time with IOL, and after the artificial aqueous protein layer is deposited on the IOL surface; (2) mononuclear cell response after contact with different IOL materials can be compared and statistically evaluated. In addition, since the method utilizes human cells, full availability of antisera can be certain, which allows investigation of several biological mechanisms involved in the response to the IOL