Objective To detect the apoptosis of vascular endothelial cells and retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells in vitro induced by verteporfin-photodynamic therapy. Methods Cultured vascular endothelial cells and human RPE cells were incubated with verteporfin at a concentration of 1.0 mu;g/ml which was equivalent to the initial plasma level of verteporfin in clinical therapy. Each kind of cells were divided into 6 groups according to different time of incubation: 0, 5, 15, 30, 60, and 120 minutes group. After incubated, the cells were illuminated by the laser light with the maximum wavelength of absorption of verteporfin (wavelength: 689 nm, power density: 600 mW/cm2) with the power of 2.4 J/cm 2for 83 seconds. The percentage of cellular apoptosis was measured by flow cytometry 3 hours after PDT, and the measurement was repeated thrice. Results The proportion of cellular apoptosis 3 hours after PDT were 0.01plusmn;0.01, 0.25plusmn;0.02, 0.32plusmn;0.02, 0.41plusmn;0.04, 0.49plusmn;0.03 and 0.61plusmn;0.02, respectively in 0-120 minutes group of vascular endothelial cells; and 0.02plusmn;0.01, 0.22plusmn;0.01, 0.31plusmn;0.02, 0.38plusmn;0.03, 0.47plusmn;0.05 and 0.58plusmn;0.03 respectively in 0-120 minutes group of RPE cells. The proportion of cellular apoptosis of both kinds of the cells increased as the incubation time was prolonged. There was no significant difference of the percentage of cellular apoptosis between the accordant time groups in the two kinds of cells (P＞0.05). Conclusions Cellular apoptosis can be quickly induced by verteporfin-PDT both in human vascular endothelial cells and RPE cells; under the same condition in vitro, PDT has no obvious selection for the apoptosis of the two kinds of cells. (Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis, 2006, 22: 253-255)
Anthrax is a zoonotic, acute infectious disease caused by Bacillus anthracis. Anthrax meningitis is one of the most dangerous types of anthrax, mostly secondary to cutaneous, intestinal, and pulmonary anthrax, and is a central nervous system infectious disease that is extremely lethal in the absence of timely treatment. This article reviews the clinical characteristics, pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of anthrax meningitis, in order to provide some reference for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of anthrax meningitis in China, and to provide reference for the further development of anthrax meningitis research.