J Korean Ophthalmol Soc.  2001 May;42(5):736-744.

The Effect of Taurine on Corneal Endothelial Damage by Free-radicals

• Kwon OG
• Kim KS

Abstract

PURPOSE: To investigate the protective effect of taurine on the corneal endothelial damage by oxidative stress.
METHODS
Rabbit corneas were mounted in the dual-chambered specular microscope and perfused with bicarbonate-Ringer solution(BR) for 1 hour, and endothelial surface was treated with hypoxanthine-xanthine oxidase(HX-XO) for 5 minutes, and perfused with BR for 3 hours in control group, while perfused with 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 mM taurine in BR in test group. Corneal thickness was measured every 15 minutes and corneal swelling rates were calculated by linear regression analysis. Also, corneal permeability was measured using carboxyfluorescein and fluorometer. Using bovine corneal endothelial cells, MTT assay was done.
RESULTS
On MTT assay, cytotoxicity of HX-XO group was 47.69% while those treated with 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 mM taurine were 36.22%, 29.73%, 24.90%, respectively(P<0.05). 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 mM taurine group (12.88, 10.75 and 8.95 um/hr, respectively) reduced the HX-XO-induced corneal swelling rate(20.08 um/hr)(P<0.05). Corneal endothelial permeability(Pac) showed 7.96 x 10(-4) cm/min in corneas perfused with HX-HO. Also, each taurine solutions markedly reduced Pac(7.00+/-0.29 x 10(-4), 6.51+/-0.25 x 10(-4) and 5.37+/-1.41 x 10(-4) cm/min, respectively)(P<0.05).
CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study showed that taurine may prevent hydrogen peroxide-induced corneal endothelial damage.

Keyword

Corneal endothelium; Corneal endothelial permeability; Cytotoxicity; Free radicals; Taurine

MeSH Terms

Cornea
Endothelial Cells
Endothelium, Corneal
Free Radicals
Hydrogen
Linear Models
Oxidative Stress
Permeability
Taurine*
Free Radicals
Hydrogen
Taurine