Effect of muscarinic agents on sclera fibroblast and their role in myopia

Abstract

Atropine sulfate has been shown to retard axial elongation in avian form deprivation myopia and in clinical myopia, however its site and mode of action are unknown. We investigate the effect of atropine in vivo and in vitro. Experimental myopia was induced in chicks. One group received sub-conjunctival injections of atropine and other group received similar injection of saline. Atropine treatment effectively prevented experimental myopia. Sclera fibroblasts (SF) were passaged from control and myopic eyes and they were treated with atropine (0.1-100 i?-M). Atropine exerted muscarinic receptor mediated inhibition of SF proliferation. We have also found that experimental myopia results in alteration in amounts of growth factors and MMPs in sclera and atropine modulates expression of growth factors and MMPs.