Chronic retinal effects by ultraviolet irradiation, with special reference to superoxide dismutases

Recently ultraviolet light (UV) reaching the Earth's surface has been gradually increasing in amounts by the destruction of the ozone layers. Large parts of UV are absorbed in the cornea and lens, and only a few amounts reached the retina; however, the effect on the retina is not fully elucidated. 38 rats were irradiated 0.5-5.0 J/cm2 UV from 6 to 50 times every 24 hours, and immunohistochemically and immunochemically for superoxide dismutases (SOD). Morphologically, the destruction of rod outer segments (ROS) and dissociation of cell membranes between the pigment epithelial cells (PE) were already observed by 6 times 0.5 J/cm2 UV irradiations. As the doses of UV increased, heterochromatins and lipid droplets increased in the PE. In normal retina, Cu/Zn SOD were mainly distributed from the inner limiting membrane (ILM) to the ganglion cell layer, and the PE; however, after 6 times 0.5 J/cm2 UV irradiations, the distribution became widened from inner to outer plexiform layer (OPL). At that time, the concentrations of Cu/Zn and Mn SOD increased in the retina. The present study reveals that the morphological damage caused by UV irradiation is observed in the ROS and PE, where no immunoreactivities could be detected to Cu/Zn and Mn SOD. However, morphological damage was not from the ILM to OPL, where the immunoreactivities to both Cu/Zn and Mn SOD were observed.