Prostaglandin E ₂ in the Vitreous Body of the Normal Rabbit Eye and after Ocular Trauma

Abstract

Rabbit eyes were enucleated and frozen in liquid nitrogen. The vitreous was removed and analyzed for prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂). The mean level ( ± SEM) of PGE₂ in the anterior as well as in the posterior vitreous was 0.09 ± 0.016 ng/ml (n = 12 rabbits). Animals pretreated with indomethacin 15 min before death, in order to prevent the formation of prostaglandin during enucleation, showed in both the anterior and posterior vitreous mean PGE₂ levels of 0.04 ± 0.008 ng/ml (n = 12) which were significantly lower. Ocular trauma such as paracentesis of the anterior chamber, indentation of the sclera or laser photocoagulation in the fundus 1 h before death of the animals did not increase the concentration of PGE₂ in the vitreous humor. There is no evidence either for local release of PGE₂ from tissues in the fundus of the eye or for diffusion of PGE₂ from the anterior chamber into the vitreous humor.