TOXICITY AND ANTIPROLIFERATIVE EFFECT OF ACLACINOMYCIN-A ON RPE CELLSIN-VITRO

Purpose. Aclacinomycin A or aclarubicin is an anthracycline that, by c ontrast with daunomycin, lacks carcinogenicity and is less toxic to th e retina. Wit investigated the toxicity and antiproliferative effect o f aclacinomycin A on retinal pigment epithelial cells that are known t o play a mayor role in the pathogenesis of proliferative vitreoretinop athy. Methods. In 3 experimental set-ups, RPE cells from pig eyes were incubated with aclacinomycin A at different concentrations (0.5-15 mu g/ml) and for various lengths of time (1-10 min). Cells were counted on day 3 after exposure to evaluate toxicity, subcultured, and counted once more on day 15 to test for the antiproliferative effect. Data we re analyzed using the Tukey's Studentized Range (HSD) Test. Furthermor e, RPE cells were examined by light microscopy. Results. Cell numbers on day 3 after treatment were reduced significantly (p less than or eq ual to 0.05) already at the lowest dosage tested (1 mu g/ml for 1 min) . Higher doses, up to 15 mu g/ml fur 5 min, did not lower cell numbers below 20% of those of control cultures. Logarithms of cell numbers on day 15 were inversely correlated to drug concentration as well as to incubation time. Cells that. had been treated with 5 mu g/ml aclacinom ycin A for 5 min were not able to start a new culture when subcultured 3 days after drug exposure. Conclusions. Aclacinomycin A applied intr aocularly during vitreoretinal surgery may be an alternative to daunom ycin in the treatment of proliferative vitreoretinopathy.