PHASE-SEPARATION INHIBITORS AND PREVENTION OF SELENITE CATARACT

The variation of the phase-separation temperature (T(c)) was studied in lenses during formation of cataracts induced by a subcutaneous injection of sodium selenite. In normal control animals, the T(c) decreased monotonically with increasing age. Approximately 2 days after administration of the selenite the T(c) decreased sharply to a minimum, and then at day 4 the T(c) increased dramatically toward body temperature. Mature irreversible cataracts formed almost-equal-to 6 days after injection of the selenite. Intraperitoneal administration of WR-77913, a phase-separation inhibitor, prevented the abnormal variation of T(c) in vivo. When injected into control animals without selenite, WR-77913 produced no abnormal variation in T(c). The results confirm that T(c) is a sensitive measure of early changes in the lens and that opacification associated with abnormal variation in T(c) can be prevented in vivo by using a phase-separation inhibitor.