Cytotoxicity to lens epithelial cells of sera from two patients with atopic cataract

We studied the cytotoxic effect of sera from two patients with bilateral atopic cataract. They were aged 19 and 26 years each. The sera was diluted 20 times, mixed with lens epithelial cells of mouse, and was stained by trypan blue after incubation for 3 hours. The incidence of cell death was 22% and 36% respectively. It was 7% in a 33-year-old normal person. The major cytotoxic factors were larger than 100kDa and were neutralized when mixed with the homogenate of lens epithelial cells. Both cases showed high levels of serum histamine. The findings seemed to suggest that atopic cataract was the result of breakdown of blood-aqueous barrier due to serum histamine or repeated rubbing of the eyeball which allowed entrance of autoantibodies to lens epithelial cells into the anterior chamber.