Quantitation of corneal inflammation by chemiluminescense.

Various inflammatory agents, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, bacterial filtrates, endotoxin, and phorbol myristate acetate were found to induce significant increases in corneal chemiluminescense (CLM). Disruption of polymorphonuclear leukocytes within corneas by sonication, freeze-thawing or cryotherapy, or reduction of corneal infiltration by induction of neutropenia resulted in marked decreases of CLM. Increased corneal CLM was associated with significant increases in corneal thickness and water content. Oxygen-free radical scavengers significantly inhibited CLM of experimentally infected corneas in vitro, as did the anti-inflammatory agents prednisolone acetate, indomethacin, and salicylic acid. In vivo therapy of infected corneas with prednisolone resulted in significant reductions in corneal CLM, thickness, and water content compared with saline-treated eyes. The CLM assay is a simple technique that allows quantitation of corneal inflammation and evaluation of the effect of therapeutic agents on corneal inflammation.