Histochemical study of alkali-burned rabbit anterior eye segment in which severe lesions were prevented by aprotinin treatment.

Activities of different enzymes (acid glycosidases, phosphatases, Na+−K+-dependent ATPase, proteases, dehydrogenases) and acid glycosaminoglycans were studied by histochemical methods in sections of rabbit anterior eye segments after experimental alkali burn and treatment with aprotinin, an inhibitor of plasmin and other serine proteinases. Solutions of sodium hydroxide (0.25–1.0M) were applied on corneas using 12-mm-diameter plastic tube for 15–60 s. After wiping with cotton and rinsing with tap water, aprotinin solutions were applied in saline (in experimental animals) and saline (in control animals) dropwise in 12-h intervals for a month. Within the first two weeks aprotinin was used at a concentration of 5000 IU/ml. During the subsequent two weeks the aprotinin concentration was reduced to 2500 IU/ml.