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EFFECT OF ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION ON THE ENERGY METABOLISM OF THE CORNEAL EPITHELIUM OF THE RABBIT
Author(s) -
LATTIMORE MORRIS R.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
photochemistry and photobiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.818
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1751-1097
pISSN - 0031-8655
DOI - 10.1111/j.1751-1097.1989.tb04093.x
Subject(s) - epithelium , corneal epithelium , phosphocreatine , in vivo , adenosine triphosphate , metabolite , glycogen , chemistry , biology , biochemistry , energy metabolism , endocrinology , genetics , microbiology and biotechnology
The present research was directed at quantifying, possible alterations in corneal epithelial metabolic activity secondary to in vivo exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVR). Microfluorometric energy metabolite assays on microgram (μg) sized, freeze‐dried tissue samples were used as an in vitro means of assessing overall metabolic activity in the epithelium of control rabbit corneas and in the epithelium of UVR‐exposed rabbit corneas 2 min after discontinuation of exposure. The specific assays were for glucose, glycogen, adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and phosphocreatine (PCr). The radiant exposures were kept constant at 0.05 J cm ‐2 for all UVR wavelengths utilized (290, 300, 310 and 360 nm). Experimental UVR exposure conditions served to increase epithelial glucose and glycogen concentrations. Although the epithelial ATP concentrations were unchanged, the epithelial PCr concentrations (a high energy phosphate bond reservoir) decreased as a result of UVR exposure. Overall, the data demonstrate a decrease in corneal epithelial metabolic activity, which may be wavelength‐dependent, as a result of UVR exposure. It is suggested that immediate metabolic stress can be responsible for the pattern of epithelial cell loss seen in photokeratitis.