ObjectiveTo observe the effect of Crocin on structure and the expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha; (TNF-alpha;) and interleukin-1beta; (IL-1beta;) in rat retina after injury by ischemia-reperfusion. Methods A total of 80 Sprague-Dawley male rats at the age of 8 -10 weeks were divided into control group, model group, low-dose Crocin group and high-dose Crocin group, with 20 rats in each group. The rats of control group were not treated. The rats in model, low-dose Crocin and high-dose Crocin group were induced with normal saline by anterior chamber perfusion creating a retinal ischemia-reperfusion (RIR) model. The rats of the low-dose Crocin and highdose Crocin group received intraperitoneal injection with different doses of Crocin solution (5 mg/kg, or 50 mg/kg) 30 minutes prior to ischemic injury and one time per day after successful RIR. Optical microscopy was used to observe the retinal structure. Enzymelinked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to measure the expression of TNF-alpha; and IL-1beta; 6, 12, 24 and 48 hours after RIR. ResultsThe retinal structure of control group was normal. Pathological changes were found in the RIR model and low-dose Crocin group, such as retinal edema, disorganized structure and loosely packed cells. The degree of pathological changes in lowdose Crocin group was less than the RIR model group. The retinal structure of high-dose Crocin group was similar to the control group. The expression of TNF-alpha; was the highest at 24 hours after modeling, while the expression of IL-1beta; was the highest at 12 and 48 hours after RIR modeling. Six, 12, 24 and 48 hours after RIR modeling, compared with the control group, the TNF-alpha; expression of model (t=5.42, 7.94, 9.32, 9.18;P＜0.05 ), low-dose Crocin (t=3.94, 4.12, 4.98, 3.84;P＜0.05) and high-dose Crocin group (t=2.13, 2.34, 2.96, 2.78;P＞0.05) were increased. Compared with the RIR model group, the TNF-alpha; expression of low-dose Crocin (t=3.95, 4.56, 4.01, 5.12) and high-dose Crocin group (t=5.23, 7.65, 7.74, 7.63) was decreased. Compared with the control group, the IL-1beta; expression of model (t=7.23, 7.87, 7.15, 15.60), low-dose Crocin (t=5.65, 5.10, 5.54, 6.87;P＜0.05) and high-dose Crocin group (t=4.38, 5.21, 4.56, 4.75) was increased (P＜0.05). Compared with the model group, the IL-1beta; expression of low.dose Crocin group was decreased significantly 48 hours after RIR modeling (t=7.56,P＜0.05); but it decreased significantly at each time point in high-dose Crocin group (t=6.94, 5.36, 6.05, 10.50;P＜0.05). Conclusion Crocin can improve the retinal pathologic changes, while down-regulating TNF-alpha; and IL-1beta; expression in RIR rats.
Objective To observe the histopathologic features and expression patterns of tumor necrosis factor-alpha; （TNF-alpha;）, interleukin-1beta;（IL-1beta;） and Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in the rat vitreous with LPS inducedendophthalmitis. Methods Wistar rats were randomly divided into saline control group (SC,136 rats）,endophthalmitis group （EO, 168 rats）and blank control group （BC,12 rats）.EO group received an intravitreal injection of 5 mu;l LPS; SC group received 5 mu;l sterile saline and no intervention for BC group.Six,12,24,48, and 72 hours,5 and 7 days after injection, intraocular inflammation were observed and the eyes and vitreous were collected for histopathological examination and measurement of TNF-alpha;, IL-1beta; and LPS expression. Results Severe inflammatory responses in the eyes were observed in EO group between six and 72 hours after LPS injection，ocular inflammation subsided seven days after LPS injection. In the vitreous, a peak neutrophil count was observed at 24 hours （1224.64plusmn;132.2） cells/eye that rapidly declined at 72 hours （342.25plusmn;47.7） cells/eye. The levels of TNF-alpha; and IL-1beta; in EO group were peaked at 24 hours with （996.18plusmn;89.45） and（5556plusmn;1440）pg/ L, respectively；Persisted at 48 hours and began to decline rapidly thereafter. Seven days after LPS injection, levels of TNF-alpha; and IL-1beta; returned to baseline with （22.16plusmn;5.84）and （73.7plusmn;18.7） pg/L, respectively. LPS concentration in EO group decrease rapidly at 72 hours with （11.03plusmn;3.41） ng and disappear on days 7 with (0.22plusmn;0.08) ng after LPS injection.Conclusions Massive neutrophils infiltration, high levels expression of TNF-alpha; and IL-1beta; and spontaneous elimination of bacterial elements in vitreous cavity were major pathologic characteristics in this experimental model. The expression patterns of TNF-alpha;,IL-1beta; were in accord with LPS clearance process.