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Whole Eye Transplantation: Long-term Rodent Survivor And Effects In The Unoperated Eye
Chen W; He L; Li Y; Komatsu C; Miller MR; van der Merwe Y; Lucy K; Tang HM; Noori J; Rosner I; Solari MG; Wollstein G; Schuman JS; Chan KC; Washington KM.
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
2017-01-28
Presenter: Wendy Chen, MD, MS
Affidavit:
As a member of the whole eye transplant lab, this resident is representing the transplant team in presenting ongoing progress in the whole eye transplant project.
Director Name: Vu T Nguyen
Author Category: Resident Plastic Surgery
Presentation Category: Basic Science Research
Abstract Category: General Reconstruction
Purpose: Whole eye transplantation (WET) offers the opportunity to provide a viable optical system to recipients with irreversible vision loss. We have previously established a viable orthotopic rodent model for vascularized WET. The purpose of our study is to evaluate gross morphology, structural integrity and aqueous humor dynamics in a long-term WET survivor; and any adverse effects in the unoperated, contralateral eye.
Methods: In our syngeneic transplants, the donor flap includes the periorbita, globe, optic nerve coaptation, and vascular anastomoses. Optical coherence tomography (OCT), gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (Gd-enhanced MRI) and electroretinography (ERG) were performed and compared to a naïve, age-matched control. In a subsequent series of syngeneic transplants, we evaluated the unoperated contralateral eye with OCT, slit lamp exams (SLE), fundoscopy, and histology.
Results: Evaluation was performed at >400d of life. In the transplanted eye, corneal opacification prohibited OCT imaging of the retina, no reliable electrical response was found, and aqueous humor dynamics were compromised. In the unoperated eye, OCT, aqueous humor dynamics, and ERG findings were comparable to the control animal. Subsequent transplants (n=6, sacrificed at 3mos) demonstrated no abnormalities in the contralateral eye with respect to OCT, SLEs, and fundoscopy.
Conclusions: In our long-term WET survivor animal, we found corneal opacification, compromised aqueous humor dynamics, and abnormal ERG. In comparison, the unoperated eye was normal, and this finding was recapitulated in a subsequent series of naïve eyes.
