Cellular Microenvironment-Sensitive Drug Eluting Coating on Intraocular Lens for Enhanced Posterior Capsular Opacification Prevention and <i>in Vivo</i> Biocompatibility

Abstract

Posterior capsular opacification (PCO) is a common complication after cataract surgery, which often leads to a progressive decline in the patient's vision. It has been established that PCO is related to the adhesion and proliferation of the residual lens epithelial cells (LECs) on the implanted intraocular lens (IOL) after surgery, which blocks visual pathways again. It has been reported that matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are greatly up-regulated in the LEC proliferation process. In the present study, an antiproliferative drug, functionalized poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate (PEGMA), was synthesized using a MMP-2 sensitive peptide as a linkage. This PEGMA derivative polymerizable molecule was then immobilized onto the IOL surface via surface initiated reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (SI-RAFT) polymerization, which resulted in hydrophilic and MMP-2 sensitive drug eluting coatings on the IOL. The <i>in vitro</i> results show that LEC proliferation is inhibited in the presence of enzyme. The <i>in vivo</i> animal experiments with such surface modified IOLs not only indicate significant PCO prevention but also show excellent intraocular biocompatibility with adjacent tissues. All these results suggest that this hydrophilic and MMP-2 sensitive drug eluting surface coating would be a promising way to prevent PCO.