[Anaphylatoxin in the aqueous humor of rabbit with endotoxin induced endophthalmitis].

Anaphylatoxin-activated complement fragment is an important mediator of inflammation. In this study, trends of anaphylatoxin in clinical and experimental endophthalmitis was evaluated. The level of anaphylatoxin (C3a, C4a and C5a) and protein of human aqueous humor aspirated from patients with senile cataracts before surgery was measured. As a model of acute endophthalmitis, endotoxin-Lipopolysaccharide from E. coli (LPS) was used intravitreously in albino rabbits. The level of anaphylatoxin of aqueous humor was measured by radioimmunoassay. The level of C3a was 44.0 +/- 13.4 ng/ml in aqueous humor of cataract patients. An increase of cell count and protein was demonstrated in the aqueous humor of rabbits 24 hrs after endotoxin injection. The level of C3a increased remarkably with time. It was suggested that C3a in aqueous humor of the rabbit eye with endotoxin-induced endophthalmitis plays an important role in chemotaxis and in mediating the inflammatory process.