Poster N9 - Injectable Superoleophobic Oil Microdroplets for Experimental Glaucoma Model

Introduction: Glaucoma is a relentless and irreversible neuropathy, causing blindness and affecting a large population. Elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) is a primary factor in its progression. However, understanding the mechanisms behind glaucoma's neurodegeneration remains challenging due to the absence of reliable experimental glaucoma animal models that accurately simulate sustained IOP elevation and the progressive death of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). In this work, we developed injectable micro-sized oil beads to induce stable, long-term IOP elevation and examined the effects of size distribution. Upon intracameral injection into the mouse eye, these deformable micro-sized oil beads effectively obstruct the trabecular meshwork (TM), inducing ocular hypertension. This method allows for precise control of IOP levels and hypertension duration, facilitating the study of programmed RGC degeneration and advancing our understanding of glaucoma progression.

Materials and

Methods: We synthesized micro-sized oil beads using a single-emulsion method, employing Tween 80/Pluronic F68 as a non-ionic surfactant and emulsifier. Initially, we mixed a biocompatible heavy oil (oil phase) - 3M Novec 7100 engineered fluid with an aqueous phase (water phase) containing a hydrophilic emulsifier (Tween 80/Pluronic F68). After sonication and filtration, we achieved a stable oil bead system with a deformable structure and heterogeneous size distribution. Cytotoxicity testing will be conducted within the cell culture system using the MTT assay. We also monitored the elevation of intraocular pressure (IOP) and the death of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) during the progression of glaucoma.

Results, Conclusions, and Discussions: This study explores the use of micro-sized oil beads to induce sustained elevation of intraocular pressure (IOP) in a mouse model of glaucoma. Upon injection, these beads trigger a 'superoleophobic' state within the trabecular meshwork, effectively obstructing aqueous humor outflow and steadily elevating IOP. This method resulted in significant retinal ganglion cell (RGC) loss and acute ocular hypertension. Furthermore, mice with induced glaucoma exhibited disruptions in their sleep-wake cycle compared to controls. The ability to achieve prolonged IOP elevation from a single injection presents a promising tool for investigating glaucoma progression and assessing potential therapeutic interventions.

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